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100-year birthdays

By Times Staff Writer
Published January 18, 2006

Marie Alix Steenssens Tozer was born Jan. 9, 1906, to Alfons and Emilie (DeVogel) Steenssens in Nieucactican, Belgium. Less than a year after her birth, her father emigrated to the United States, arriving at Ellis Island on Dec. 13, 1907. He began work in the iron ore mines of Michigan. Emilie joined him shortly thereafter and in March 1909 Marie and her two older sisters, Margaret and Josephine, arrived in Ellis Island, passengers with aunt and uncle Henri and Marie Steenssens, on the SS Lapland.

By the time the family appears in the 1920 federal census in Dickinson County, Mich., another child, Lizzie, and three boarders, in addition to Marie and her two older sisters, are listed as part of the household. Marie's mother, Emilie, ran a boarding house for young immigrant miners.

Marie moved to Detroit in 1920 and attended Northeastern High School. By January of 1923, she began to work at the Hudson Motor Car plant. It was there that she met Leonard Terry Tozer, a native of Canada. They married Dec. 29, 1923. To that family was added eight children. They lived for 24 years in Harper Woods, Mich., before moving in August 1965 to Port Charlotte. Leonard died Nov. 17, 1987.

Marie moved to St. Petersburg in 2000. She and her daughter Helen E. Tozer, Woodstock, Ga., travel between Atlanta and St. Petersburg. In addition to daughter Helen, Marie still enjoys her sons Leonard T., Greenville, N.C.; Lt. Col. (retired) Edward J., Davison, Mich.; Chief Master Sgt. (retired) Raymond G., Grand Forks, N.D.; Richard P., Warren, Mich.; and daughters Jeanne Warren, St. Pete Beach; Joan O'Halloran, St. Petersburg; and Mary Ann Poplawski, Warren, Mich. She also has 26 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

She was a 35-year member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Port Charlotte, and now belongs to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, St. Petersburg. She was a lifelong member of Queen Elizabeth Circle of the Belgian-American Women's Club, the Women's Century Club and is a charter member of the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation.

Her family gathered Jan. 14 in Woodstock, Ga., to celebrate her 100th birthday.

We think that living 100 years is worth our taking notice. If you or a family member is about to celebrate a 100th birthday or more, please let us know. Include the following information: the person's full name, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names (including mother's maiden name) if known, name of spouse (if applicable), marriage date, names of children and number of grandchildren (if applicable), length of time the person has lived in this area and a phone number in case we have questions. Also, please include a photo that doesn't need to be returned. We'll publish the information as close to the birthday as possible. Send the information to 100-year Birthdays, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731-1121 or fax to (727) 893-8675.

[Last modified January 18, 2006, 01:10:21]