DEAN HOWARD WESSELS

1923 - 2014

Dean Howard Wessels, 91, of Olathe, Kansas went to be with the Lord on December 18, 2014. He was born December 9, 1923 in Dallas, Texas to Earl and Ola Wessels. Dean planned to be an accountant, but changed plans to follow his high school sweetheart, Roxie Ann Moore to Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). He left college his junior year to join the war effort, training to be a pilot in the Naval Air Corps. During this time he felt God's call to preach and after the war returned to college. Dean and Roxie were married in 1945. In 1948 Dean was ordained as a minister in the Church of the Nazarene and subsequently graduated from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1951. He pastored churches in Lawson, MO, Coffeyville, KS and Abilene, TX. Then in 1955 he moved his family to Kansas City and helped start the pension program for retired Nazarene pastors. He was the first full time director for pension and benevolence work for the Church of the Nazarene. His vision, constant attention to detail, and commitment to "Serve those who Serve" laid foundations, which have impacted the lives of thousands of Nazarene parsonage families, retirees and widowed spouses. Dean is survived by his wife Roxie, of 69 years, his daughter, Vickie Morsch and husband Gary, his son Mark Wessels and wife, Jan, six grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, December 28, at First Church of the Nazarene, 11811 State Line Rd., KCMO. Visitation will be 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will be private at Oak Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Dean Wessels Ministerial Scholarship at Southern Nazarene University, Bethany, Oklahoma. To leave a message for the family, please visit www.PenwellGabelOlathe.com