Lucille Wendt

Lucille Catherine (Pauley) Wendt was born March 19, 1929, to Leo and Louise (Schmitz) Pauley in Panama, Iowa. The oldest of nine children, she attended school in both Panama and Portsmouth, Iowa. She died on Friday, May 23, 2008, at Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine, Iowa at the age of 79 years, two months, and four days.

Babysitting, detasseling, hopping the trains to go town to town, and walking to her grandparents' home south of Panama, are memories Lucille stated she would never forget. Such episodes as having her hair cut like a boy by her Aunt Catherine, sliding down the steep barn roof, and swimming in the mud holes made Grandpa Schmitz say, "Worse than any four boys," meaning her aunts Catherine and Marge and her sister Bernadine.

Lucille married Charles E. Wendt on August 28, 1946, in Panama, Iowa and resided on the Thompson family farm between Panama and Earling until 1957. Charles passed away June 13, 2000, they had been married 53 years. The union was blessed with 17 children; Richard Wendt, Deanna (Harry) Kuhl of Glenwood, IA, Charles Jr. (Sheryl) Wendt of Galena, MO, David (Brenda) Wendt of Logan, IA, Shirley (David) Sigler of Logan, IA, Bette (Neil) Jensen of Woodbine, IA. S. Michael (Barbara) Wendt of Anita, IA, Edward (Beverly) Wendt of Dunlap, IA, Roxanne, Darlene (Kelley) McMartin of Hancock, IA; Jeffrey (Sue) Wendt of Denison, IA, Sharon (Dan) Royer of Woodbine, IA, Anthony Wendt, William (Fran) Wendt of Woodbine, IA, Bruce (Kristina) Pauley of Woodbine, IA, MaryAnn, and Margaret.

The couple lived in Westphalia from 1957 to 1959 where Charles and Lucille managed the St. Hubert Clubhouse. Lucille and Charlie moved to Woodbine in 1960, to the farm where their grandson, Michael Jensen and his family now live. From 1960 to 1965, they purchased and ran the Sunnyside Tap in Woodbine. Lucy worked at the Corn Palace in Woodbine and then worked at the Logan Missouri Valley Country Club and GTE Telephone Company until she retired. Lucille enjoyed winters in Texas, traveling to Mexico with kids and grandkids, especially showing the good places to shop and eat. They belonged to a dance club and they loved to polka. She was a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed the social gatherings.

After Charlie's death Lucille continued to live in the home they built in 1975 southeast of Woodbine on Highway 44. After a stroke on Easter 2004, she then moved in with her daughter, Bette. In late 2005, she moved into the Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine.

Lucille was a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Woodbine and St. Anne's in Logan, which she made all the children attend every Sunday even though it took two cars. "Hobbies" included cooking, cleaning, wash and raising children. Babysitting was not a hobby; it was an adventure for Lucille. Genealogy was Lucille's greatest pastime, her answer to the question, "Who are they?" She'd say, "You are related to them!"

In addition to her parents, Leo and Louise (Schmitz) Pauley; she was preceded in death by her parents-in-law, John and Elsie (Thompson) Wendt; children, Roxanne in 1956, Anthony in 1960, MaryAnn in 1966, Margaret in 1967, Dr. Richard D.D.S. in 1992, grandchild LaVonne Wendt in 1973, brothers Gerald and Walter Pauley; and sisters, Thelma Pauley and Bernadine Hayes.

Lucille is survived by her children; two sisters, MaryElla (Gary) Wilke and Janice (Gerald) Waltz all of Portsmouth, IA; two brothers, Alfred (Delores) Pauley and Kenneth (Eileen) Pauley all of Panama, IA; brother-in-law, Charles Hayes of Portsmouth, IA: daughter-in-law, Connie (Wendt) Caskey of Albuquerque, NM; 35 grandchildren; 43 great grandchildren; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, John (Buzz) and Elaine Wendt of Portsmouth, IA and Donna Wendt of Missouri Valley, IA; numerous nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends.

The Mass of Christian Burial
10:00 am Wednesday, May 28, 2008
St. Mary's of the Assumption Catholic Church
Panama, Iowa

Con Celebrants
Rev. Paul Strittmatter, SJ
Rev. Don Bruck

Musicians
Jodie Wingert
Mary Ann Wendt
Meg Kohles
Jodi Wendt

Selections
"Remember Me This Way"
"Ave Maria"
"Angel"
"Go Rest High on That Mountain"

Honorary Pall Bearers
Deanna Kuhl, Shirley Sigler
Bette Jensen, Darlene McMartin
Sharon Royer, Roxanne Weis-Cummings
Dennis Wilke, Tim Waltz
Kevin Kuhl, Nick Gau
Velma Schmitz-Arkfeld, Phyllis Hayes

Pall Bearers
"You carried us, now it is time for us to carry you"
Chuck Wendt, Jr., Dave Wendt,
Mike Wendt, Ed Wendt
Jeff Wendt, Bill Wendt
Bruce Pauley

Final Resting Place
St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
Panama, Iowa