William F. "Bill" Wessel, age 83, of
Portage, Indiana, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2023. He was born on October 27, 1940, in
Chicago, Illinois, to Henry and Evelyn (Collins) Wessel. William married Marianne (Kern) Wessel on October 28, 1961, in
Riverdale, IL.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Marianne; four daughters, Kristine Wessel, Laura (Lee) Starks, Kathleen (David Jopp) Wessel, Karla (Jeff) McBrayer; son, Michael Wessel; five granddaughters, Jacqueline Bonavia, Danielle (Oscar Jr) Baca, Josephine Bonavia, Amanda Wessel, Heather Wessel; five grandsons, Jason (Melissa) Bonavia, Maxwell Starks, Henry Starks, William McBrayer, Michael Patrick Wessel; and 8 great grandchildren, Oscar III, Manny, Christian, Emilia, Mason, Matthew, Maddox, and Hansel; and many loving, extended-family members including Jeanne and Dave Bender, Kathleen Kern and Sydney Kern and their families and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, aunt Virginia and uncle John Davies, and brothers-in-law John Kern and Robert Kern.
Bill graduated from De La Salle Institute, class of 1958. He attended Washburne Trade School and worked as a Pipefitter for Local #597 for 59 years. Bill loved his family, spending time at the beach, ritual evening sunsets with neighbors, vacations with Marianne, and he worked extremely hard to provide for his family. Bill was a loving husband, father and proud grandfather and great-grandfather.
Memorial Mass for Bill will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 11:00 am at St. Mary of the Lake, 6060 Miller Avenue, Gary, IN 46403. A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 10:00 am until the time of mass at 11:00 am at the church. Please consider a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in William's honor at https://givenow.lls.org