Wayne T. Wenzel

How can you capture the essence of who the man, Wayne Wenzel, was? You can speak about the jobs he had, where he lived, the accomplishments he achieved, who he married, and how many children they had. Those facts (though equally important) do not capture the spirit of the man he was. All of those who knew him appreciate what a truly special person he was.

Wayne was married to our mother for over 65 years. He often told of his adventures as a truck driver. One story involved our mom. They arrived at their delivery destination; a run dad had made several times. They had a few minutes to grab something to eat so they made their way to the cafeteria. Once there, Mom was feeling a little uneasy, she felt as though some of the staff were whispering and staring at her. They finished their meal, climbed back in the truck, and proceeded to their next stop. After a few miles down the road, mom mentioned the awkward feeling she had at the cafeteria. Dad paused for a minute and then said, "I'm sure they think you're my girlfriend". Mom replied, "Why would they think that?" Dad answered, "Well, on prior stops I told them my wife weighed 300 pounds". Their love was the best kind. Throughout any marriage there are good times as well as hard times…. losing their youngest son, Troy, was the most difficult time in their lives. Through that unbearable pain, they were there for each other, holding each other up with true and constant love. That's the kind of husband he was.

Our dad was a wonderful storyteller. He would be telling his kids a story and we would have to glance in mom's direction for a nod of her head 'yes' or 'no'. Some of his stories ended with him saying, "Honest," and we then knew he was teasing. Other times we would be sitting at the kitchen table eating. Suddenly he would excitedly point out the window and say, "Look at that!" We were always too slow to see what he was pointing at. Only to sit back down to find a portion of our food missing. While driving in the car with him, he would touch the cigarette lighter, and the car would honk. As we got older, we realized his sleight of hand. He loved to make up songs, instead of "Bringing in the Sheaves", his version would be "Bringing in the Sheep". One of his all-time favorites was "Please Release Me", though mom wasn't much of a fan. We would all have to smile and laugh hearing his singing abilities booming through the house. When asked, "What is the secret to staying married all these years?" his answer was, "Neither one of us wanted the kids". Oh, how we loved him. Our childhood was filled with endless fun, love and laughter. That's the kind of father he was.

At the shop, he enjoyed visiting with everyone. He could be found working on one of his many projects, but he always made time to stop and visit. He loved having people come by the shop and chat for a spell. There were times when customers would need help with repairs at their home. He would leave the door to the shop unlocked with a note saying, "I will be back shortly". He was just as kindhearted as he was funny. We would often hear people say, "We just love Wayne". He felt at home in New Richland, MN, and loved the small town he grew up in. He enjoyed stories being shared at the shop over a cup of coffee with his many friends. He would call up a buddy of his and pretend to be the Sheriff from Bore Ass Creek and say they needed to come down to the police station. The first question asked was, "Who did you say this was?" He had a way of delivering jokes that made everyone laugh, even if it wasn't the first time being heard. One was about a friend of his that was issued a subpoena. The friend didn't know what the word 'subpoena' meant, so he asked dad and in his best southern drawl, he replied, "Well… sub means down…below…or beneath… and pena, well you and I both know what that means… so, I guess I would say he's got you by the balls". He shared his sense of humor with everyone. Our mom would say he's the happiest man in New Richland. That's the kind of friend he was.

Loving Husband, Adored Father, True Friend…Our Dad was Good Stuff. So, if a thought of him ever crosses your mind, greet him with a, "Hi, Pal"; he would like that.

Wayne is survived by the love of his life, Merlys (McGuire) Wenzel, Owatonna, MN; daughter Renae (David) Jeno, Owatonna; son Wade (Denise) Wenzel, New Richland, daughter Tammy (Terry) Olson, Roseau, MN; and daughter-in-law Rhonda Wenzel, New Richland; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in- law: Edna Wenzel, Ranae McGuire, Joyce Swenson, and Brenda Ebnet; brothers-in-law: Jerry McGuire, Gordon Ebnet; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son Troy Wenzel; great-grandson Zachary Flateland; parents, Herman and Mary (Wood) Wenzel; siblings and in-laws: Harold Wenzel, Jimmy (Clara and Leona) Wenzel, Francis (Lois and Christine) Wenzel, Lawrence Wenzel, Mardel (Wenzel) and William Robinson, Jean McGuire, Duane McGuire, Dennis McGuire; and nephews William (Butch) Robinson, and Daniel Wenzel.

Visitation will be Sunday, September 28, 2025, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at All Saints Catholic Church (307 1st St SW, New Richland). Funeral service will be held Monday, September 29, at 10:00 AM at the church, with visitation continuing an hour prior to the service.