Dale J. Wenzinger (92) of Broomfield, passed away on June 14th, 2021 at his home under hospice care in Broomfield. The family found Dale’s writing on his own history provided here, some annotations added:
“ I was born on a farm in Webster County, Nebraska on February 17, 1929; sixth and last child of Joe and Kathryn (Beuscher) Wenzinger. I attended grade school in a one-room coal-fired country school. Seventh and eighth grades were St Stephens Catholic school where I rode a three-year-old horse. Missed about 60 days per year due to deep snow. High school was at Lawrence High School (class president) and Blue Hill Nebraska where I drove a Model T coupe and later a 30 Ford roadster, with side currents and no heater.
I wasn’t allowed to play sports due to the workload on the farm. I did play Legion ball but never got a hit. School interrupted by a ruptured appendix in sophomore year. Pre-penicillin days so it was a tough go. Especially for my parents.
After high school, I stayed and helped my parents with farming and a menagerie of horses, dogs, cattle, pigs, and chickens. Usually got up at five to take care of stock, mostly milking and feeding. We used horses prewar and I and my two brothers had to round them up and harness them and work all day. I disliked the agriculture aspect because those were the dust bowl, drought days and we never had much of a harvest. But we ate very well. Big gardens, lots of beef, pork, and three times a day.
My lucky break came when I got drafted during the Korean War, which I spent 18 months in Panama. Good quarters on the Pacific Ocean and later on the Atlantic side.
After the military, I went back to the farm, and back to more drought and burned crops. It was then that a lovely lady came into my life (Florence Meddles). She was a College Music Ed grad from Mary Mount College in Kansas as was a lead singer in a dance hall and a Choir Director. The chemistry was good. She thought the farm was ok as I was the youngest and my Father thought it would be appropriate for me to take his place. But I had the GI Bill and other ambitions so I enrolled at the University of Nebraska with a lot of other Veterans. I was concerned because I had been out of school for eight years and was wisely intimidated. I finally got into Engineering college and received a three-year scholarship. Things were looking up so we decided to get married (1955), I worked at the School Library and Florence taught in the Catholic School system. It was a good life with accomplishments and lots of friends in similar situations”
Dale graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Nebraska in 1959 and was a member of Pi Tau Sigma, a national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity.
Dale started his career in Denver Colorado working for Martin supporting over 70 launches of the new Titan rocket program, where he took a class from Dr. Wernher von Braun. After Martin, Dale worked at Coors Brewery for 24 years as a VP of Engineering, then finished his career in Santa Barbara California working for SBRC which supported the Sidewinder Missile. A lifelong resume of Rockets & Beer.
Dale and his wife Florence raised five children, they are founding members of St Jude’s Church in Lakewood Colorado where he donated his time to build the church, as Florence built the choir. Dale has held multiple roles in the Knights of Columbus and volunteered his talent and rare blood type as a normal course of everyday life. Dale was devoted to his Catholic faith, his wife, his family, his community, and expressed his commitment with a tireless work ethic.
Dale is survived by his wife Florence, sister Colleen Harris, children: Julie (Mark) Pedersen, Jeff (Tammy) Wenzinger, Jon (Christine) Wenzinger, Jack (Joyce) Wenzinger; daughter-in-law Emily Wenzinger, grandchildren: Ben, Bethany (Sergio), Jackie, Jessica, Rebecca (Shasta), Lucas (Bailey), Jill(Christian), Amanda, Katie, Zechariah, Veronica, Kaylee, Cecilia, Cutter (Julia), Geddy, Gunner; and many extended family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his siblings, Loren, Harlan, Collette (Schmitt), Ione (Van Patten) and his son Joel Wenzinger.
A memorial service will be held at 1 PM on June 22nd, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lafayette, Colorado; with a reception following the service, please contact a family member for location/address or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A Committal will be held at Mt Olivet on June 28th at 12PM with military service honors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the St Vincent de Paul Society, Dale donated his talent and time there. Online: https://gofund.me/512681a2
Or contact: Carol Sritz, Address is 5444 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA 93111. (805) 683-8535
TRUST HIM
Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee.
Trust Him when thy strength is small.
Trust Him when to simply trust Him, seems the hardest thing of all.
Trust Him, He is ever faithful;
Trust Him, for His will is best;
Trust Him, for the Heart of Jesus is the only place of rest.
Trust Him, then, through doubts and sunshine;
All thy cares upon Him cast.
Till the storm of life is over and the trusting days are past.
Author Unknown
