Rose Wenzel
Rose Marie Wenzel, age 81, of Stratford, was called
to eternal rest by the Lord on September 26, 2021. A memorial mass will take place on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, at St. Andrew Church in Rozellville, at 11 a.m., presided by Father Sengole Vethamanickam. The family will meet guests at the church beginning at 9 a.m.
Rose was born on August 8, 1940, to Benno and Mary (Wittman) Stockheimer. She attended St. Andrew Parochial School in Rozelleville before graduating from Marshfield Senior High in 1958. Upon graduation she continued her education in Milwaukee and became a surgical technician at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield. Rose married Donald “Tiger” Wenzel, the love of her life, on August 18, 1962, and was blessed with more than a station wagon full of children.
She loved to give back to the community and was an advocate for individuals from the unborn to the gravely ill, as was evident in her work as an EMT and CPR instructor with the Stratford Fire Department, being instrumental in the formation of the Stratford Food Pantry, organizing many fundraisers for St. Joseph Church and School, and distributing the Holy Eucharist to elderly shut-ins. She continues to give after death by donating her earthly body to science for research and education. She was recognized for her charitable service by being named the 1982 Stratford Jaycee Mother of the Year and the 1987 Stratford Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.
Rose enjoyed visits from her precious great-granddaughters and loved to watch things grow. In addition to “growing” her children and helping to care for her grandchildren, she was passionate about gardening and spent countless hours at farmers markets with the produce grown in her sizable gardens. She also made an extensive variety of homemade jams and jellies, which earned her the nickname, “The Jelly Lady.” Rose taught us that simple joys are what life is made of, such as reading a good book and caring for animals, of which cats were her favorite.
Rose is survived by Donald, her husband of 59 years. She is also survived by her ten children: Chuck Wenzel of Stratford; Mary (Dan) Glatch and daughter Laurel of Waterford; Louanne (Jeff) Meyer and children Amber (Jordan) Rahm with Grace, Jake (Amy) with Sadie, Zack, and Nate of Spencer; Judy (John) Schwabe and daughters Jenna (Mitch) Nosbisch and Jessica of Stratford; Larry Wenzel of Stratford; Bernie (Jennifer) Wenzel and children Kylah, Benno, Kressa, Ava and Teddy of Stratford; Tom (Margie) Wenzel and children Andrea (Nathan) Kerr, Sam, Tim, and Lizzie of Edgar; Donna (Todd) Webb and children Natalie and Tate of Sussex; Bert Wenzel and children Chase and Max of Brodhead; and Nancy (Ben) Welch and children Marin, Sheridan, Mather and Rosalie of Eatonville, Wash.
She is further survived by her in-laws: Mark Kaiser, Helen Stockheimer, Marie Wenzel, Loretta Tritz, Alice Fischer and Sister Margaret Wenzel.
Rose was preceded in death by her parents and the following siblings and in-laws: Anna Marie (Ernie) Kress, Ed (Joan) Stockheimer, Tony (Violet) Stockheimer, Norbert Stockheimer, Joe Stockheimer, Ray Stockheimer, Agnes Kaiser, Raymond (Rose and Marie) Wenzel, Walter Wenzel, Agnes (Victor Neuwirth and Peter) Meyer, Alfred Wenzel, Marie (Ludwig) Grassl, Leo (Mildred) Wenzel, Norman Tritz, Sylvester Fisher and Sister Dorothy Wenzel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to the Stratford Area Fire Department, P.O. Box 103, Stratford, WI 54484. The gifts will contribute towards the purchase of a new LUCAS Chest Compression CPR System and other life-saving equipment.
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