Dorothy Mae Wenzel
1927 - 2025
Dorothy Mae Wenzel was born September 21, 1927, to Walter and Anna Hanson in Tribune, SK, where Walter and Anna were farming. In 1931, due to drought in the south, the family, including Dorothy’s siblings, Donald, Alice, and Phyllis, moved north to farm land near Weldon, SK. Dorothy was a farmer at heart and preferred working outside with her dad rather than doing the inside chores.
In 1947, a young Pastor moved to Weldon and asked Dorothy to be his wife. Dorothy and Marvin were blessed with four children, Raymond, Albert, Carole, and Lois. Marvin’s vocation brought them to many locations, including Starbuck, MB, Provost AB, Prince Rupert, BC, and then finally to Camrose, AB, due to Marvin’s health and subsequent death in 1963. As a young widow at the age of 36, and mother of four young children, Dorothy went to work at the local Woolworth store to support the family. Within a few months of employment, she became the personnel manager.
In 1968, Dorothy was blessed with a second wonderful husband when she married Victor Wenzel. Victor farmed in the Oyen area where Dorothy continued her love of the land and farmed alongside Victor until their retirement in 1992. They retired in Medicine Hat, where they were active members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. In their retirement, they cared for large gardens and processing of the produce, whether for the freezer or canned dill pickles or beets, which all family members enjoyed. Dorothy was known for her baking. Her cardamom buns, cinnamon buns and the fact that every cookie she made was the exact same size were part of her repertoire. Dorothy taught herself to play piano after her father brought a piano home to their farm. This skill was used often for church services or family sing-alongs. Dorothy’s other pastimes were fishing, crocheting, knitting, and hours spent on Word Find as she got older.
Dorothy is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband Victor, of 56 years, her children Raymond (Susan) Odland, Carole (Harald) Thannhauser, Lois (Lyle) Siegel, her daughter-in-law Lorna (Albert) Odland, and her sister-in-law Lyla Rutherford. Surviving also are 13 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank Pastor Ken Edel and Claudia Edel of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for the many visits and spiritual care, the doctor and care staff at River Ridge Senior Village and the staff in the palliative care ward at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.