Lloyd Edward Vencel

Lloyd Edward Vencel, born September 4, 1945 passed away September 3, 2025. Born in Terre Haute, IN, to Woodrow and Mary Catherine (Bates) Vencel and raised in Fairbanks.
Post high school, he studied first at Oakland City College, followed by a BS in biology from Indiana State University. He earned his masters in education, also from Indiana State.
Beginning his teaching profession in Wheatfield, IN and then spending the last 31 of his 37 year teaching career in the North Newton School Corporation, Lloyd influenced many a jr-higher (and later freshman) and nearly as many awkward drivers. Twenty years of being the driver's ed instructor, he was a man known to have nerves of steel. His main subject in the classroom was physical science but later also taught biology.
He coached basketball, track and swimming. He sponsored the chess club. He drove a bus, was a vice principal and became the transportation administrator for a season.
Outside of school, he spent 27 years working security at the Indianapolis 500/Brickyard, loved to travel, enjoyed sports and branded/drove cattle on a friend's ranch in New Mexico over some special summers as he lived out his dream of being a cowboy. Lloyd was proud of his 1952 Cushman scooter which he enjoyed taking to shows. He liked to hunt, fish and eat all the morels he could find.
During retirement, he drove the bus and gave tours for the local dairy, taught robotics at the elementary school, worked puzzles with his wife, puttered around in the garage and volunteered at the Newton County Community Services food pantry.
Lloyd was a 40 yr. member of Morocco Lodge #372 F&AM. He served as an officer for 4 of those years. In addition, he was a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of Terre Haute. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias Morocco Lodge #492, having joined in 1987. He became the Past Chancellor in 1988 and earned his Grand Lodge Degree in 1992. He was the Grand Treasurer of the Indiana Knights of Pythias from 2001-2014 and became a Past Grand Chancellor in 2007. He was a Supreme Representative in 2020.
He was loved, respected and will be missed tremendously.
Lloyd is predeceased by an infant son, Kevin; his parents; and a sister, Patricia Sue, of Prairie Creek, IN.
He is survived by his wife, Karen K Vencel of Morocco; daughters: Kathy (John) Clickner of St Cloud, FL and Karen B Vencel of Morocco. Sons: Jerry (Wanda) Donahue of Rensselaer and Matt (Vicki) Donahue also of Rensselaer. Grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and siblings: Allen (Kris) Vencel of Sun City West, AZ; Brenda Mains. Sun City West, AZ; and Lance (Rung) Vencel of Prairie Creek, IN.
Celebration of Life services will be held at the Morocco Community Center (Beaver Township) in Morocco, Indiana on Monday, Sept 8, 2025. Visitation is from 1-4 pm with the service following at 4 pm, officiated by Rein Bontreger.
In lieu of flowers, Lloyd had requested donations be sent to either the Newton County Community Services Food pantry, where he volunteered many years or to the Indiana Masonic Home in Franklin, Indiana.
Steinke Funeral Home is honored to be handling the arrangements. Memories, condolences and photos may be shared with the family at www.SteinkeFuneralHome.com.