Wendell Ray Wertz

Wendell Ray Wertz passed away on September 8, 2014at Trenton, NE. He was born on October 9th 1934 to Mainard Coin and Irena Alice (Brown) Wertz in Trenton, Nebraska. He grew up on the farm and dairy in Trenton and attended Trenton High School. He graduated from the University of Nebraska, College of Agriculture in 1957. He married his high school sweetheart, Verna Jean Moss in 1955 and together they had 3 sons, Martin, Ronald and Kelly. Wendell loved his land and livestock and enjoyed help from Verna, all 3 sons, and others who worked for him throughout the years. If he was not out farming on his beloved John Deere tractors, he could be found working on a special project in the shop where he loved to create and repair. He was active in farming until his health would no longer allow, but still spent much of his time supervising repair projects in the shop. Flying was always another love of Wendells and he owned several different planes over the years. His family took many flying vacations, and he loved to give family and friends airplane rides in the skies over Trenton. He enjoyed football and worked the chain gang at Trenton High school football games for many years. On Saturdays every fall, Wendell would have every radio on the farm tuned in to the Cornhusker football game no matter what he was doing and would usually get to Lincoln for a game or two every year. If the game was on TV, that was always a good excuse to take a break and get some people together for a Husker game party. He was a lifelong member of the Trenton United Church of Christ, a member of the Prairie Statesmen Barbershop Chorus, Past Master and 50 plus year member of Culbertson Masonic Lodge, 174 AF&AM, 50 plus year member of Eastern Star, Hastings Scottish Rite, York Rite, Tehama Western Shrine Club, Tehama Mobile Nobles, and Past Potentate of Tehama Shrine in 1992. He sponsored many children so they could get medical help at the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children. Wendell also served on the Trenton School Board, Trenton Village Board, and Trenton Ambulance squad. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Arthur, son Marty, and grandson Dustin. He is survived by his wife Verna, sons Ron and wife Karen of Trenton and Kelly and wife Roni of Great Bend, KS. Grand children Jennifer Vail of Aurora, CO, Keelan and Kelsi of Great Bend, KS. Great Grandchildren Ryder Wertz of Hays, KS, and Peyton West of Aurora, CO. Services will be held on Wednesday September 10th at 10:30 am at the United Church of Christ in Trenton, NE. Burial with Masonic Rites will be at the Trenton Cemetery. Visitation will be at theTrenton Funeral Home, Trenton NE.