With
a journey that spanned times of
war and times of peace, times of
plenty and times of
want,
Walter “Walt” Wedel lived a
life of purpose while holding
his loved ones near. He loved
the Lord, which was easy to see,
and his zest for life made him
such a joy to be around. Walt
was deeply devoted to his
family, and he was so blessed to
share 63 years with his beloved
wife Ann. He was thrilled to
witness his family tree blossom
to include numerous branches of
loved ones who were his greatest
source of pride and joy. Deeply
loved, Walt will be forever
missed.
The 1920s were an exciting time
in America. Radios, washing
machines, and motion pictures in
both color and sound were among
the latest advancements while
Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb made
baseball America’s favorite
pastime. Amidst this exciting
time was a time of great
anticipation in the lives of
Benjamin and Mabel (Reebs) Wedel
as they were eagerly awaiting
the birth of their new baby as
September dawned in Fulton,
Michigan in 1928. The big day
finally arrived on September 9th
when the baby boy they named
Walter Eugene drew his first
breath. He was the youngest of
four children as he was joined
in his family by his siblings,
Wayne, Rex, and Anna.
Interestingly, he was nearly 20
years younger than Anna. Sadly,
tragedy struck in Walt’s life
as his mother died when he was
only four. Walt was then raised
by his father, and they also had
a housekeeper named Alice who
was like a grandmother to him.
From the time he was a young
boy, Walt was a bustle of
activity. His father worked on
the family farm that was
established in 1876. Walt
attended local schools and
graduated from Athens High
School in 1946. After high
school, he was drafted into the
Army and served during the
Korean Conflict. With his
military duties fulfilled, Walt
returned home to the family
farm.
New and exciting changes were in
store for Walt when he met the
young woman of his dreams. Her
name was Ann Henry, and they met
at a square dance in Leonidas in
1954 with Rem Wall singing. Ann
was from Climax and just loved
the farm. They began dating, and
it didn’t take them long to
fall deeply in love. With a
desire to spend the rest of
their lives together, Walt and
Ann were married on December 11,
1954. Together they welcomed
four children including
Benjamin, Cyndi, Tim, and Lori
into their hearts and home. Walt
was deeply devoted to his
family, and he was an active
part of his children’s lives.
He and his wife had a marriage
that was such an inspiration as
they were true partners in every
way. Although he wasn't the cook
in the family, Walt did like to
eat. He had a bit of a sweet
tooth but his breakfast while
working in the fields was always
a fried egg on soft toast with
ketchup.
With a desire to provide for his
family, Walt was known for his
strong work ethic. He loved
farming, and some may even say
that farming was in his blood.
Walt’s first tractor came from
an auction, which is how it was
done in those days. Because the
other farmers all wanted Walt to
get the tractor, they all put
his name in the drawing so he
would clearly come out on top.
His first tractor was an
International tractor, but later
he was farming with a John
Deere.
Throughout his life, Walt was
one to keep busy. He was a
sports fan, and there were
several sports that he and his
wife played together such as
bowling, horseshoe pitching, and
shuffleboard. They loved
traveling abroad to participate
in shuffleboard competitions,
and these travels took them to
places like Canada, Japan,
Germany, Netherlands, and
Brazil. Walt also served as the
president of the USA National
Shuffleboard Association for
three years. Within his
community, Walt served in local
government including all
positions on the board in
Wakeshma Township and also a
Kalamazoo county commissioner.
Walt and Ann were inducted into
the Michigan Farmer’s Hall of
Fame as well as the Shuffleboard
Hall of Fame. He was also a
member of Wakeshma Community
Church. A man of faith, Walt’s
favorite Bible verse was Romans
8:28. To relax, he could often
be found reading farm magazines
and local newspapers.
All who knew Walter Wedel would
agree that he was an
extraordinary man. He worked
hard, but he played hard too,
and he was practical, intuitive,
and knowledgable on a great many
things. Walt was kind and soft
spoken, and his wit made him a
true charmer. He loved his
family, and his commitment to
the Lord was deeply engraved in
his heart. Walt will be lovingly
remembered.
Walter E. Wedel, of Fulton,
passed away on Monday, June 4,
2018 at the age of 89. Walt’s
family includes his wife, Ann;
four children: Benjamin Wedel,
of SC; Cyndi Frakes, of
Vicksburg; Tim Wedel, of
Kalamazoo; and Lori (David) Fry,
of Fulton; six grandchildren:
Jonathan (Michele) Frakes, of
Portage; Heather Frakes, of
Kalamazoo; Jessica (Randy)
Bartholomew, of Fulton; Michael
(Catherine) Fry, of OH; Travis
(Vanessa) Fry, of Ypsilanti;
Levi Fry, of East Lansing; ten
great-grandchildren; and several
nieces and nephews. Walt was
preceded in death by his
siblings: Wayne Wedel, Rex Wedel,
and Anna Crotser; and
son-in-law: John Frakes. The
family will receive friends on
Friday from 4 -7 p.m. at the
McCowen & Secord Family
Funeral Homes, Rupert-Durham
Chapel, 409 S. Main, Vicksburg,
(269-649-1697). The funeral will
be held on Saturday at 11 a.m.
at the Wakeshma Community
Church, 16732 East UV Ave,
Fulton. Burial will be at North
Fulton Cemetery. Please visit
Walt’s webpage at http://www.mccowensecord.com
where you can sign the guestbook
or share a memory and/or photo.
Those who wish may make
contributions to the Hospice
Care of Southwest Michigan
and/or Wakeshma Community
Church.