William C. “Bill” Wendel, 85, South Heart, died on Sunday, April 13, 2008, at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center, Dickinson.
Bill’s Mass of Christian burial is at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, South Heart, with the Rev. Shannon Lucht as celebrant.
Interment is the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, with military honors provided by the Belfield American Legion William C. Blair Post 144.
Visitation is from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. today at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson, with a KC Council 9043 rosary and vigil at 7 p.m.
William Clement Wendel was born on June 25, 1922, in Dickinson, the eldest of four children of Clement and Minnie (Cinder) Wendel.
The family moved to South Heart in 1924, and starting at the age of 6, he would live with his grandmother Cinder in Dickinson to attend catechism classes.
As Bill grew older, he would help his father in his blacksmiths shop.
William was an active member of his church starting at a very young age.
He received his schooling through the South Heart system, graduating from South Heart High School.
In October 1942, Bill was inducted into the United States Army and had served with the 467th Engineer Maintenance Company as a technician fourth grade.
He was able to see many foreign places while in the military, and upon his honorable discharge in 1945 returned to North Dakota.
Bill continued to be active in his church by joining the Knights of Columbus in December 1945 and also by providing hands on help in the construction of the new St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Bill married Clara Heidt on Feb. 22, 1949, at St. Mary’s. They have made South Heart their home to this day.
He was a mechanic and a jack-of-all-trades, working at various businesses and eventually owning his own auto mechanic shop.
Bill also ran school bus, delivered mail, served as a city councilman, janitor, city auditor and welder at different times of his life.
Bill’s family was very important to him and he cherished time spent with them.
In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, collecting stamps and coins and Norman Rockwell plates.
Bill is survived by his wife, Clara; their five daughters, Kathy Wendel, South Heart, Barbara (Allen) Tarbox, Aberdeen, S.D., Jackie (Brent) Daniels, Nashua, Wash., Pam (Russell) Hoffman, South Heart, and Ann (Grant) Sittler, Pocatello, Idaho; two grandchildren, Daniel (Holly) Zastoupil and Kirk (Alice) Zastoupil; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Bob (Mary) Wendel, Minnesota; one sister, Margaret (Emil) Wieglenda, Gladstone; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother and sister-in-law, Edwin and Tammy Wendel; and one nephew, William Wieglenda.
(Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson)
More from around the web
RSS Feeds