Michael Joseph Wenzl

Michael Wenzl Michael Joseph Wenzl, of San Luis Obispo, California passed away peacefully on June 17, 2017. Michael was born in Valley Falls, Kansas on June 2, 1939, and moved to Oregon at a young age. He received his undergraduate and Master's degree from the University of Oregon and his doctorate from the University of New Mexico. He came to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1969, as an English Instructor and, was awarded Distinguished Professor in 1984. He retired from Cal Poly after 37 years. He was keenly interested in intercollegiate sports and was the NCAA Faculty Athletics' Representative for 10 yrs. While attending the U of O he was a grocery journeyman and worked the assembly line in local lumber mills. After receiving his B.A., he worked briefly as an intelligence analyst for the CIA, then decided to return to graduate school. He had an unlimited capacity for joy. One of life's main pursuits was to have fun. Michael was gifted in his ability to engage anyone around him in that endeavor. Laughter was a constant companion. His life was informed by a deeply felt love of literature. It was a living presence. As a teacher he had the ability to explain the works he loved in commonplace terms that enabled his students (and friends) to feel them, take them in and cherish them. Michael could inspire and engage anyone, from strangers to students and friends, but most of all his own family. His children all deeply acknowledge that their compassion, fondness for knowledge, and love of family are rooted in his teachings and examples. Michael is survived by his wife of 51 years, Linda McClain Wenzl; his children: Brendan, Colin, Emily, and Alexandra; seven grand- children and eight siblings. Donations to Lewy Body Dementia Association or Wilshire Hospice of SLO in his memory would be appreciated. Sign his guestbook at sanluisobispo.com/obituaries