Chesterton resident Gerald A. Wenzel, 78, died on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2007, at The Waters of Duneland Health Care Center, in the presence of his family.

He was born on July 19, 1929, in Duluth, Minn., the son of Peter and Doris (Hutchins) Wenzel, who preceded him in death.

On May 11, 1957, in Chicago, he married Mary Ann (Barrett), who survives in Chesterton.

Also surviving are a son, Peter Wenzel of Indianapolis; three daughters, Meg (husband Sam) Kovacs of Indianapolis, Karen Weigel of Elmhurst, Ill., and Jean Wenzel of Portland, Oreg.; a brother, Joseph (wife Carol) Wenzel, of Michigan City; and three grandchildren, Alex Kovacs and Colin and Ian Weigel.

He was preceded in death by a brother, James, in 1963 in Vietnam.

Gerald was a teacher and a coach in the Duneland School Corporation before retiring in 1984. He served two years with the U.S. Marine Corps and was a Marine reservist until 1962 and belonged to the Chesterton Lions Club, Friends of the Westchester Public Library, and the Indiana State Teachers Association. The family enjoyed celebrating Gerald and Mary Ann’s 50th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 638 N. Calumet Road in Chesterton.

Visitation is scheduled from 4 until 7 p.m. Thursday at Edmonds & Evans Funeral Home, 517 Broadway in Chesterton, with a wake service at 7 p.m.

Memorials may be made to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.

Posted 12/26/2007