Obituary for Nancy Lee Wentzel (Schulz)
Heaven gained a beautiful light when Nancy Lee Wentzel, beloved sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt, passed away peacefully on November 30, 2021.
Nancy Lee Schulz was born February 27, 1933, on her grandparents’ small farm in Great Bend, North Dakota, during the Great Depression. When she was in the 1st grade, her family moved to Fergus Falls, where her father worked as a foreman building gas stations in the Tri-State area. Early during WWII, Nancy’s family moved to Minneapolis where her father worked as a foreman for D.W. Onan Co. Nancy loved her time in Minneapolis and frequently regaled her family with stories about roller-skating to local parks and the Minneapolis Institute of Art and taking the bus around the city to visit friends and go to the movies. When the war ended, the family moved back to Fergus, where Nancy graduated from high school and went to work in the City Assessor’s Office, then in the purchasing office at the Fergus Falls State Hospital.
Nancy was always spunky, fun-loving, and a go-getter. With friends, she started the first women’s softball team in Fergus. She lived with her parents and four younger brothers until she married Willard Wentzel at the age of 19. Willard was activated with the MN National Guard, and they moved to Camp Rucker, AL, where he served as a drill sergeant throughout the Korean War. Willard worked in sales with various companies, so they lived in several cities across Minnesota. They lived in Moorhead for 14 years, where their 3 oldest children graduated from high school. In Moorhead, Nancy worked as a Banquet Manager at the Holiday Inn. In 1975 the family moved to the Twin Cities where their 3 youngest children graduated from Wayzata High School. In the Cities, Nancy first worked as a manager at Perkins, and then as a purchasing agent at Edina Country Club, from where she retired in 1996.
Following her retirement, Nancy had more time to do the things she loved. Attending the many activities of her children and grandchildren gave her great joy. She rarely missed a concert, play, dance competition, wrestling match, football, softball, baseball, or basketball game. Many times, even the umpires and referees knew she was there, as she was “giving them advice.” She especially loved watching Gopher Men’s and Women’s basketball and the Lynx. Though she said she was “lucky at cards,” she really was a smart, talented player of many games. A Life Master at bridge, which she taught herself to play, Nancy relished competition and loved to win. She also loved playing games with her children and grandchildren, and even played her favorite family card game, Oh Shoot, with many of her grandkids this past Thanksgiving! Nancy had a big, generous heart and cared dearly for her family. We know that she’s smiling down on us right now while playing a rousing game of cribbage with the big man upstairs.
Nancy also had a love of travelling. When her children were growing up, she loved taking road trips with them – to the Black Hills, California, New York, New England, Florida, and the many places in between. Following her retirement, she ventured even further, first to Central Europe, then Ireland, and China. She always treasured each experience.
Nancy is survived by her brothers Vic (Dee Ann) Schulz and Mike (Linda) Schulz, and sister-in-law Pat Honer; children Candace (Dan) Dyke, Bill Wentzel (partner Preena), Bob (Barb) Wentzel, Steve Wentzel, Cathy Wentzel, and Tom (Jen) Wentzel; 12 grandchildren; 5 great-granddaughters; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Alwin and Florence (Martin) Schulz, and brothers Alva/Bud and Frank Schulz.
A celebration of life will be held on January 3, 2022, at 11:00am (visitation with the family at 10:00) at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. Interment will be at Knollwood Cemetery in Fergus Falls in the spring.
Memorials are preferred to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at JDRF.org in support of their efforts to find a cure for her grandaughter’s Type 1 diabetes.
For Live streaming use the following link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QEETyP6Hsg
Nancy Lee Schulz was born February 27, 1933, on her grandparents’ small farm in Great Bend, North Dakota, during the Great Depression. When she was in the 1st grade, her family moved to Fergus Falls, where her father worked as a foreman building gas stations in the Tri-State area. Early during WWII, Nancy’s family moved to Minneapolis where her father worked as a foreman for D.W. Onan Co. Nancy loved her time in Minneapolis and frequently regaled her family with stories about roller-skating to local parks and the Minneapolis Institute of Art and taking the bus around the city to visit friends and go to the movies. When the war ended, the family moved back to Fergus, where Nancy graduated from high school and went to work in the City Assessor’s Office, then in the purchasing office at the Fergus Falls State Hospital.
Nancy was always spunky, fun-loving, and a go-getter. With friends, she started the first women’s softball team in Fergus. She lived with her parents and four younger brothers until she married Willard Wentzel at the age of 19. Willard was activated with the MN National Guard, and they moved to Camp Rucker, AL, where he served as a drill sergeant throughout the Korean War. Willard worked in sales with various companies, so they lived in several cities across Minnesota. They lived in Moorhead for 14 years, where their 3 oldest children graduated from high school. In Moorhead, Nancy worked as a Banquet Manager at the Holiday Inn. In 1975 the family moved to the Twin Cities where their 3 youngest children graduated from Wayzata High School. In the Cities, Nancy first worked as a manager at Perkins, and then as a purchasing agent at Edina Country Club, from where she retired in 1996.
Following her retirement, Nancy had more time to do the things she loved. Attending the many activities of her children and grandchildren gave her great joy. She rarely missed a concert, play, dance competition, wrestling match, football, softball, baseball, or basketball game. Many times, even the umpires and referees knew she was there, as she was “giving them advice.” She especially loved watching Gopher Men’s and Women’s basketball and the Lynx. Though she said she was “lucky at cards,” she really was a smart, talented player of many games. A Life Master at bridge, which she taught herself to play, Nancy relished competition and loved to win. She also loved playing games with her children and grandchildren, and even played her favorite family card game, Oh Shoot, with many of her grandkids this past Thanksgiving! Nancy had a big, generous heart and cared dearly for her family. We know that she’s smiling down on us right now while playing a rousing game of cribbage with the big man upstairs.
Nancy also had a love of travelling. When her children were growing up, she loved taking road trips with them – to the Black Hills, California, New York, New England, Florida, and the many places in between. Following her retirement, she ventured even further, first to Central Europe, then Ireland, and China. She always treasured each experience.
Nancy is survived by her brothers Vic (Dee Ann) Schulz and Mike (Linda) Schulz, and sister-in-law Pat Honer; children Candace (Dan) Dyke, Bill Wentzel (partner Preena), Bob (Barb) Wentzel, Steve Wentzel, Cathy Wentzel, and Tom (Jen) Wentzel; 12 grandchildren; 5 great-granddaughters; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Alwin and Florence (Martin) Schulz, and brothers Alva/Bud and Frank Schulz.
A celebration of life will be held on January 3, 2022, at 11:00am (visitation with the family at 10:00) at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. Interment will be at Knollwood Cemetery in Fergus Falls in the spring.
Memorials are preferred to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at JDRF.org in support of their efforts to find a cure for her grandaughter’s Type 1 diabetes.
For Live streaming use the following link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QEETyP6Hsg