Donald Wendt

            I finally got to be reunited with my beloved Helen today. The happiness I feel is immeasurable. Finally we're together again forever.

            I was born on November 18, 1926 to Arthur and Theresa (Wolf) Wendt in Appleton Wisconsin. I was one of 9 children. I started work at George Banta company in Neenah before enlisting in the Navy in January of 1943. I spent my training at the Great Lakes Naval Center. I eventually served as a Fireman 1st Class on several destroyers (mainly the USS McKenzie) in Europe. I spent shore time at Norfolk Virginia and ship time in the Mediterranean Sea. Upon my discharge in August of 1944, I went back to my job at Banta’s as a pressman and retired after 40+ years.

            One weekend I was at Waverly Beach roller rink when I saw a beautiful redhead named Helen Friestrom. It was, as they say, history from there. We were married on July 16 1949.

            In September of 1950, we welcomed our first son, Jim (Sue Warde). And the lineage grew with Tom (Ellen Jansen), Deb (Joe) Konkle, Cindy (Jeff) Jansen and Steve (Lisa Peters) Wendt in the ensuing years. Sadly we lost Tom in 1984. After moving to the country we settled into a quiet life for 50+ years eventually buying some land up nort' for a trailer to visit on the weekends. Lots of good times too. We even had a couple of Mopeds for scooting around.

            I loved to work on cars and trucks in my garage. Repairing them, selling and getting another to tinker with. Sometimes I'd come home from work with a different vehicle than what I left with. Helen used to read me the riot act but after a while she got used to it. I had so many cars I lost track of them but I'm sure she didn't.

            It broke my heart when my beautiful wife of 64 years passed in May of 2015. Being the stubborn redhead she was, she outlasted the doctors expectations of 3 years. I always loved being surrounded by my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It was a special time when they visited and I loved every noisy minute of it.

I am survived by Ed Wendt and Ginny Lewin. Art, Earl, Dorothy, Helen, Dick and Ethel have since passed and I’m looking forward to seeing them all again. 

            I hear that once you're here everyone is in their prime. No pain, no aging, no worries. I know we'll all be together again someday. 

Don

Memorial services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Verkuilen-Van Deurzen Family Funeral Home, N3972 Columbia Ave., Freedom. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will be in St. Nicholas Cemetery.

            The family would like to say a special thank you to the staff at Country Villa in Freedom and Theda Care Hospice. These awesome people saw Dad through some hard days and continued to do what they do best.

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