Allen Wendel

Biography

Allen Martin Wendel, 91, finished his life’s work in the early morning hours of a Sunday morning and slipped away to rejoin his beloved wife Eileen and the many loved ones that had preceded him. He passed away in the home of his beloved son surrounded by the love of many family members.
Allen was born in Salt Lake City as the son of a first generation German emigrant to this country. He learned to arise early and work hard, a tradition he kept to the last week of his life when he was still arising at 6:30 am. During his early years, the family moved to Frontier, Wyoming for work in the coal fields of Wyoming. Allen worked many jobs during his early years and contributed most of his income to the support of the family during the difficult years of the Great Depression. This is where Allen learned to put his family first and to sacrifice his own desires for the good of his family. He graduated from Kemmerer High School in 1938 and joined the Civilian Conservation Corp living in the barracks of the CCC and working in the wilds of Wyoming. He was honorably discharged from the CCC a year later. He also attended BYU for a short time and paid his way by working on campus. When WWII broke out in December of 1941, Allen began working in the Seattle-Tacoma shipyards in Seattle, Washington building Fletcher class destroyers and other ships. He worked as a welder and grinder, including grinding the turret rings for the gun mounts on the 5″ guns. He met his future wife Eileen who was working in the Tool Shop handing out implements for the workers. He worked in the shipyards from the spring of 1942 until the fall of 1943 when his older brother, Leroy, was killed in a mining accident at the Brilliant coal mine back in Frontier Wyoming.
Allen returned to Frontier to be with his family and eventually moved with his family back to Salt Lake City where he briefly worked for the Railroads. He began courting Eileen who had moved to Salt Lake City and they both decided to go on LDS missions. Allen served his mission in the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific and returned and married Eileen in the Salt Lake Temple on November 24 1948. They moved to Bountiful to live in the home that Allen had purchased and spent the next 61 years together in that house. They hand built most of the interior of that house and hand dug and built the garage in the backyard. Allen hand built the playground equipment in the backyard. Allen had the greenest thumb and turned the large lot into a farm and orchard to keep his children busy and to feed them fresh food. His apples, peaches, cucumbers, grapes, and other vegetables were legendary.
They had five children of their own and later fostered another child making six in the family. They became members of the great Bountiful Second Ward for 63 years providing many years of service in many church callings and to many in need in the family and in the community. Many of these acts of service received no recognition, just as Allen preferred it. Allen went to work for Phillips 66 and retired in 1985 after 36 years of service. He often helped out co-workers and was referred by them as “Big Al” during his working years.
Allen and Eileen worked hard all their lives. They emphasized the importance of church service to their children and Allen served in many capacities in the ward including in the Sunday School presidency and as Home Teacher. Four of their children served full time missions, three served as scout masters, one served in a Bishopric, and many other callings in the primary, relief society, ward and stake levels. Allen and Eileen also emphasized the importance of education to all their children. All of their children went on to attend college to some degree. Together, their children completed four bachelors’ degrees, two master degrees, and at least two professional licenses. One is a tenured college professor in math and physics and another led the team that built the solid fuel rocket nozzles for the Space Shuttle.

In later years as Eileen grew frail, Allen carefully and loving provided for her needs for many years without complaint. He was regularly supported and visited by many family members during these years. Eileen passed away in July of 2010 and Allen continued living at home by himself until the fall of 2011. Allen moved into the home of his son, Doug, in Ephraim, Utah in November of 2011 and received loving care and service until he passed away on a bright Sunday morning.

Allen was the last living member of his birth family and was preceded in death by his parents John and Lina Wendel and his older brothers Leroy, Joseph, Clarence, George, John and his younger sisters, Lillie and Pearl. He was also preceded in death by his beloved wife, Eileen in 2010, his oldest son, James Allen Wendel (Big Jim) in 2011 and a granddaughter, Bridget Kate Wendel in 1977. He is survived by his children: Doug (Sylvia) Wendel, Nancy (Bruce) McMonagle, Richard (Rachelle) Wendel, Gary (Kathy) Wendel, and Joel (Annette) Wendel. 66 descendants: six children, 26 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren with two on the way.
The family wishes to express a thank you to those who provided special service to Allen during these last years: Jared and Brandy Wendel and Jason and Audrey Wendel for their many years of service caring for Allen and for his home, Doug and Sylvia Wendel for the last six months of loving care as Allen’s life drew to a close, and the many members of the Second Ward who regularly visited and helped around the home.
A viewing will be held Wednesday 27th from 6:30 until 8:00 at Russon Brothers Mortuary in Bountiful Utah at 295 North Main Street. The funeral service will be held on Thursday the 28th from 11:00 to 12:00 at the Bountiful Second Ward at 650 South 200 East in Bountiful Utah. This will be preceded by a viewing from 9:45 to 10:45. Interment will be directly afterwards in the Bountiful Lakeview Memorial Cemetery next to his beloved wife.

Funeral Service

Thursday June 28, 2012, 11:00 at Bountiful 2nd Ward
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Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 28, 2012 at the Bountiful Second Ward, 650 South 200 East. A viewing will be held Wednesday evening from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, and Thursday morning 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be directly afterwards in the Bountiful Lakeview Cemetery next to his beloved wife.