Eugene Joseph Wentz

Eugene (Gene) Joseph Wentz (November 9, 1931 April 7, 2017) Gene was born on November 9, 1931 to Joe and Frances Wentz in Esmond, North Dakota, where he grew up on the family farm. He was the eldest of nine (9) siblings, LaRayne (Jerry) Toso, Wilbert (Belle) Wentz, Sally (Tony) Volk, Jerome (Elsie) Wentz, Helen (Les) Ehli, Duane (Eva) Wentz, Shirley (Allen) Gange, and Patty (Ray) Schneider. He married Betty Martian on October 13, 1953 and together, they had four (4) children; Peggy (John) Watson, Brenda (Bob) Oliver, Sandra Wentz, and Kenneth (Michelle) Wentz. He had one granddaughter, Alexis (Jeff) McCall, and eight (8) grandsons, Justin (Haley) Watson, Jared (Natalie) Watson, Robert Oliver, Reece Oliver, Joshua Pech, Jacob (Lala) Pech, Joseph Wentz, and Marc (Kaylena) Swift, and 12 great grandchildren. Gene was the first in his family to head out west. In 1962, he packed up his wife and three (3) daughters and moved to Yakima, WA, and then in 1966, on to the big city of Seattle. In 1968, Des Moines, WA became his home, where his son was born in 1969. He took up residence in his last earthly home in Federal Way, WA in January of 2016. He went home to be with the Lord on April 7, 2017, after battling Alzheimers for almost thirteen (13) years. He was predeceased by his parents, and siblings; Jerome, LaRayne, Helen, and Wilbert. Gene was a meat cutter by trade for many years, and before that, a cab driver, and a telegrapher for the railroad. But he could do anything!.roof a house, install siding, repair a leak, install an outlet, and repair any appliance known to man! His motto, Have drill, will travel! He loved to fish and hunt with his son, brothers, and nephews, especially the week long trips that they took every fall, elk hunting. He had a walk-in cooler in the garage, complete with a mini meat processing and sausage making plant, to process whatever game was caught. He enjoyed working in the yard and planting a very productive vegetable garden each year where NEVER a weed was found! He loved music and played the accordion, guitar, and harmonica. He loved to solve word search puzzles and continued to do so until his death, even while suffering from Alzheimers. Gene loved his family very much and was so very proud of them all. There was NOTHING that he wouldnt do for them. He had the most wonderful sense of humor and that, along with his selflessness, faithfulness, and his always present love, will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at Lifeway Church, 5015 SW Dash Point Road, Federal Way, WA 98023, on Friday, April 28, 2017 from 11am to 2pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to either the Franciscan Hospice House, https://www.chifranciscan.org/support-franciscan.html or Alzheimers Association, http://m.alz.org/donate.asp.