Obituaries
Joseph Wenzel
Funeral services for Joe Wenzel, 84-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away Saturday, February 29th at the Agape Manor in Buffalo will be held on May 9, at 2:00 at the Fire Rock Steakhouse in Casper at 6100 E. 2nd Street. Donations in Joe’s memory may be made to the Bread of Life Food Pantry in care of the Harness Funeral Home at 351 N. Adams in Buffalo. Online condolences may be made www.harnessfuneralhome.com
Joseph Junior Wenzel was born on May 30, 1935, in Wessington Springs, South Dakota to Olive Jessie Homewood and Joe Addyson Wenzel. He was the 2nd of 3 boys. Darrell (Pug), Joe (Pete) and George (Porge).
He helped his dad on the farm and developed a lifelong love for equipment of all kinds. He often told stories of driving trucks and tractors when he was only 9!
He was drafted by the US Army in 1958 and served until 1960. He was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, and Germany where he served. He was very proud to tell us all that he served in the same area at the same time as Elvis Presley. Joe drove an M59 Personnel Carrier. After he was discharged he began to work for Rissler & McMurry.
In 1960 he married Doris Roggow. They lived in Buffalo Wyoming and had 2 children, Kelly and Gary.
In 1982 Joe married Doris “Dodie” Caldwell and helped raise her 5 children. He continued to work for Rissler & McMurry for 37 years as a general superintendent until his retirement in 1999. They lived in Wyoming, Arizona, and Utah. Joe returned to Buffalo, Wyoming after Dodie’s death on May 3, 2016.
At the time of Joe’s death, he lived at Agape Manor in Buffalo. They loved him there and took great care of him. Thank you to Dr. Rice for being so good to Joe, Heather his hospice nurse and to the Agape staff Kaira, Sabrina, Mary, and Renee, and the many others, who loved him and helped him along his journey home.
He is survived by his brother George Wenzel, daughter Kelly (Chris) Burrows, daughter-in-law April Wenzel, Dodie’s children Jeff (Kerri) Calder, Sue (Jim) Brummond, Caryn (Jack) Mullin, Steve (Nikki) Oldham, and Jamie (Jeff) Klaassen, 23 grandchildren, and 38 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Darrell Wenzel, son Gary Wenzel and wife Dodie Wenzel.
