Linda C. Stengele, age 91, passed away in her Fox River Grove home on May 15, 2024, after being lovingly cared for by her children.
Linda was born at home February 20, 1933 in Donora PA to Madelyn Elaine (Skinner) Grantham.  She was raised by her maternal grandparents Marion Chester and Lela (Isaacs) Skinner in Blackwell OK.  She then moved to Cleveland Hts. OH and attended Western Reserve University for one year with her twin brother, Lew.  In 1952 she married Samuel D. Orris.  To this union were born four children.  In 1971, the family moved to Wheeling IL.  Sam and Linda divorced in 1974.  
Linda earned her Illinois Real Estate License and later her Brokers License. She worked for Roger H. Evans Realtor and Applegate Realty Inc. in the northwest suburbs for many years.  She sold a “fixer-upper” on Fox River Grove’s Ski Hill Road to a tall United Airlines pilot, Carl F. Stengele.  This house renovation project led to their marriage in 1978 and Linda welcomed his three children into her family.  Linda and Carl were married for more than 44 years. 
In her spare time, Linda started working on her family Genealogy.  She traced her ancestors to three families on the ship ‘Mayflower’ in 1620, to Quakers who came to PA with William Penn in the 1700s, and through royalty to Charlemagne.
With her love of history, she indexed and updated the Fox River Grove history book, compiled notebooks for the Local History shelf of the Fox River Grove Memorial Library and was instrumental in restoring the Oak Glen/Chunn’s Burial Ground cemetery in Fox River Grove.  Additionally, Linda copied marriage and cemetery records which have been published by the McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society.  Linda also spent many hours volunteering for the Crystal Lake Historical Society.   
Linda was honored with many awards throughout her life including the Studs Terkel Humanities Services Award, DAR “Women in American History Project” National Award, and McHenry County Women of Distinction.  
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl F. Stengele; mother, Madelyn E. Grantham; biological father, George Smith; step-father, Walter Grantham; sisters, Marion Gilbert Teigs & Eleanor Head Farrell; brother, Fredrick A. Grantham; twin brother, Lewis C. Grantham; sons, Michael W. Orris & Karl B. Stengele and infant grandson, David S. Kenney.
She is survived by her children: Donna Starr of Boise ID, Diana (William) Kenney of Crystal Lake IL, Timothy (Lynelle) Orris of Round Lake IL, Christine (Cary) Aron of Havana FL, Elizabeth (Derek) Bailey of Mt. Sterling KY, thirteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Crystal Lake Historical Society, P.O. Box 1151, Crystal Lake IL  60039, or McHenry County Historical Society  P.O. Box 434, Union IL  60180.  Services will be private.   Inurnment will be in Windridge Cemetery, Cary IL