Harold Wenger, age 93, died peacefully at his home in Wayland, Iowa on July 15, 2012. An open visitation will be held Friday, July 20, 2012 from noon to 3:30PM at the Bethel Mennonite Church in rural Wayland. Burial will be held at 4:00 PM on Friday, July 20, at the Bethel Mennonite Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at 6:30 PM on Friday at the Bethel Mennonite Church. Following the celebration of life there will be a time to greet the family. A memorial fund has been established for Parkview Home and Bethel Mennonite Church.
Harold Fredrick Wenger was born at home on July 25, 1918 to parents John R. and Katie A. Christner Wenger, rural Wayland. He married Stella M. Roth on August 17, 1941 after which the couple resided north of Wayland on the family farm where they raised their eight children. Harold was a life-long farmer. They moved to Wayland in 1983.
Harold was a charter member of Bethel Mennonite Church, Wayland, where he remained active until his death. He enjoyed spending time with his family, singing hymns, fishing, gardening and nature.
He is survived by eight of his children: Alice (Norman) Hsu, Los Angeles, CA; Richard (Ruth) Wenger, Sheridan, OR; Joanne (Robert) denBleyker, Los Angeles, CA; Lois (Gerry) Klopfenstein, Wayland, IA; Rodney (Janice) Wenger, Wayland, IA; Marilyn (Bill) Hershberger, Wayland, IA; Ruth Ann (Lynn) Brenneman, Bentonville, AR; and Gary (Myrna) Wenger, Wayland, IA; seventeen grandchildren: Benjamin Hsu (Libby) and Christopher (Stella Witherspoon) Hsu; Tim (Angie) Wenger, Andrew (Shelly) Wenger, and Juanita (John) Weldon; Alan (Elise Charles) denBleyker and Amber denBleyker; Beth Klopfenstein, Charity (Boundy) Lovan; Jenna (Virgal) Johnson, Jared (Carie) Wenger, Joel Wenger and Jalyn Wenger; Tara Hershberger and Joshua Hershberger; Alicia Wenger-Lemon and Seth Wenger. Harold had 30 great-grandchildren (Titus, Nessa, Cecelia, Preston, Seth Kofi, Josiah, Mariah, Natasha, Anya, Samuel, Petra, Justice and Kaden Wenger; Bethany, Abigail, Judah, Joshua Wenger; Destiny and Simeon Weldon; Katie and Sophia Hsu; Meila Hsu; RJ, Phillip and Victoria Kunze; Christian and Cainan Lovan; Cheyenne, David and Dakota Lemon; and many nieces and nephews. Also surviving are brother-in-laws: Vernon (Jean) Roth, Edwin Roth and two sister-in-laws Lucille Swartzendruber and Inez Roth.
Preceding Harold in death were his parents, his wife Stella, an infant daughter, Mary Kay; four brothers, J.C. (Ruth) Wenger, Raymond (Mary) Wenger, and Ira (Mildred) Wenger; one sister, Barbara (Noah) Unternahrer.