GRIMES FUNERAL CHAPEL
Fred Edward Wendt passed from this life May 18, 2020, just two months shy of his 96th birthday. He was born in Las Cruces, NM, July 15, 1924. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Fred C. Wendt, his brother, Earl, his son, Fred E. Wendt, Jr., a granddaughter, Alex Bond Roberts, and a grandson, Christopher Wendt.
He attended school in Lubbock and Amarillo before moving to El Paso in 1938. After graduating from Austin High School in 1942, he entered Texas College of Mines (now UTEP). After football season was over and the last game played, the entire team joined various branches of the service, and Fred joined the Army, serving in the South Pacific Theater during WWII. After being discharged in 1945, he received an appointment to West Point, but after attending Prep School at Amherst, Mass., he decided that was not the career he wanted after all, so he returned to Texas College of Mines. He lettered in track and football, setting both local and NCAA records, many of which still stand. He is a member of the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame and the UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame. He was an All American in 1948 and on the 1949 College All Stars Team. He was drafted to play for the Chicago Cardinals, but an injury ended that career. In 2008 he was honored by being selected as a member of the 75th Anniversary All Sun Bowl Team in El Paso.
In 1950, Fred married Dorris Bowden. They had four children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was a wonderful husband and hands-on father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and was loved by all who knew him.
After college he worked for El Paso Natural Gas as a Field Engineer in Jal, Gallup, Roswell and Albuquerque, NM, and Odessa, TX. He and Dorris eventually settled in Odessa, where he operated his own sales business. After retiring in 2001, they moved to Kerrville. After several years of retirement, he was called back as a consultant for the building of the CO2 plants in New Mexico and Colorado. He was an avid golfer, fisherman, hunter, bridge player and joke teller. After playing golf for more than seventy years, he finally had a "hole in one" at Scott Schreiner Golf Course in 2007. He could be found most mornings visiting with his friends at the Donut Palace on Sidney Baker.
He was always an active member of the Methodist Church wherever they lived and served as an usher for more than fifty years in various churches. He has been the song leader in the 21st Century Class at Kerrville First United Methodist Church for several years and also served as president.
Fred is survived by his wife of seventy years, Dorris, and his family: daughters - Janie Love of San Antonio; Nancy Williams and Steve of Hammond, LA; and Pat Roberts and Jeff of Naples, FL; grandchildren - James Love of Seattle, WA; Brian Love of Ogden, UT; Ashley and Carlos Salazar of Petaluma, CA; Kelly Williams of South Portland, ME; Michael Williams of New Orleans, LA; Denise Wendt of Chandler, AZ; Allison Wendt of Odessa, TX; Heather and Scott Geiring of St. Lazare, Quebec, Canada; and great-grandchildren - Hayden Wendt, Mateo Salazar, Santiago Salazar, Aiden Geiring and foster great-granddaughter Jordyn; as well as many nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
A family graveside service will be at Garden of Memories with Donna Magee of First United Methodist Church officiating. If desired, memorials may be made to Kerrville First United Methodist Church or a charity of choice.
Condolences may be sent at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the "Send Condolences" link.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
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