Carolyn (Koressel) Wenzel

Surrounded by her three children, Carolyn Wenzel left this world peacefully at age 81 on November 2nd in Neenah, WI. As a widow, Carolyn bravely faced dementia in recent years with a stubborn resilience, continuing to find joy in the little things and sharing her sarcastic sense of humor with family and caregivers to the very end.

Carolyn came into the world a few minutes ahead of her twin brother Charlie on May 22, 1944 in Evansville, IN. The twins were the youngest of Ray and Julia Koressel’s four children, joining older brothers Bob and Ralph. Carolyn attended St. Boniface and Mater Dei schools before earning her degree as a Registered Nurse at St. Mary’s.

While pursuing her nursing career, Carolyn worked in several cities across the United States – from St. Louis to Baltimore and eventually San Francisco – where she met her future husband, Ted (Delavan, WI), on a blind date arranged by friends. Before settling down, Carolyn embarked on a month-long adventure through Europe, a journey that reflected her curiosity and independent spirit. After returning home, she and Ted married and, in 1974, made their home in Mequon, WI, near Ted’s job in the Milwaukee beer packaging industry. Over the next several years they grew their family with children Heather, Alex, and Sally. After many years as a full-time working mom and nurse, Carolyn transitioned into a new career using her passion for helping others leading the volunteer program at Family Services of Mequon as well as cleaning homes until she retired in 2010.

Outside of work, “CW” was known for her competitive spirit and creativity. She enjoyed volleyball, flower gardening, card games, and a wide variety of crafts, becoming more and more passionate about quilting. Over the years she created countless quilted masterpieces, gifting them to family and friends to adorn beds, walls, cribs, and dorm rooms. Carolyn enjoyed supplying her sewing room by finding her way through most of the fabric and craft stores on shopping trips around the Midwest. She found others who shared her passion for quilting by joining clubs where she’d enter and win awards for her work in dozens of competitions.

Carolyn is survived by daughter Heather (Fred) Ueckert with grandchildren Cecelia and Calvin; Alex (Kristin) Wenzel with grandchildren Ben and Julia; and Sally (Eric) Henzel; as well as an extended circle of family friends.

A memorial service will be held at 1PM, on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Wichmann Funeral Home, 537 N. Superior St., Appleton. Visitation will be on Saturday at the funeral home from Noon until the time of the service. In lieu of donations, take your loved ones out to dinner, have a glass of chardonnay, eat some chocolate, play some cards and share your favorite memories of Carolyn.