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March 03, 1941 - February 26, 2018
In the early morning hours of February 26, 2018, at Fairview, Oklahoma, my beloved husband, and our father, Bruce Dean Wedel, slipped away while sleeping peacefully, with his wife holding his hand after days of suffering due to complications of Multiple Sclerosis. We thank God for answering our prayer to relieve him of his suffering, and we hold dear to our hearts the memories of Dad's prayers during this time; prayers of thanksgiving for God's great love, for His plan of salvation, and his request for God to care for the family he was leaving behind.
Bruce was born to Joe A. and Kathryn Schmidt Wedel in Enid, Oklahoma on March 3, 1941. He spent his childhood and grew to manhood in the Ringwood, Oklahoma area, receiving his schooling at Oakdale and Cimarron Valley Schools. He lost his father when he was 21, a time of his life which he found too painful to speak of. On May 22, 1964, Bruce married the love of his life, Wanda Kay Snow of Southard, Oklahoma. To this marriage was born one son, Joe Dean, and two daughters, Lisa and Tonya.
When our mother found the Lord in 1974, Dad came to desire what she had found for his own life. Six months after her baptism he was also baptized into the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. He loved his Lord and remained faithful to Him until he was called home. We are thankful for the heritage our parents left us.
Dad was a welder by trade. He began his welding career at Waldon's in Fairview, Oklahoma, and after working for others for a time, he began his own business of constructing steel buildings, many of which are scattered across northwestern Oklahoma. We children have good memories of helping him on these jobs. His business was a successful business with a promising future when at the age of thirty-eight he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It soon became apparent that God had a different plan for his life. It was not an easy plan for a young man to accept, but with God's loving help, Dad came to depend on Him day by day.
In 1995, Dad and Mom relocated to Brooksville, Mississippi to try their hand at fish farming. In May of 2006, they moved again, this time to Bradley, Arkansas. Dad was a sociable man and made many friends taking an interest in others. He immensely enjoyed being part of his daughter Tonya's busy family life. When it became apparent that Mom could no longer care for him, he moved into Golden Villa in Atlanta, Texas where he was a resident for almost ten years. His final earthly move brought him full circle back to Oklahoma in August of 2016, to the Fairview Fellowship Home. Dad's life was a living witness to many who came to encourage him, often leaving being the encouraged ones. His caretakers were often inspired by the evidence of God in his life, and he endeared many to him with his ornery and teasing nature. Dad was a lover of nature, especially enjoying birds, and he spent many hours enjoying God's creation.
Dad was a wonderful father. We have so many good memories, and many of those memories include laughter. We feel blessed to remember his love for us. We will miss his phone calls and the interest he showed in our lives so very much. We, as children, thank our mother for her faithful care to him all these years.
Those left to cherish fond memories are his wife Wanda of Fairview, Oklahoma; his son Joe Dean and wife Robin of Ringwood, Oklahoma, and their children, Thomas, Zachary, and Karli; daughter Lisa and husband Murray Warkentin of Ste. Anne, Manitoba, and their children Shane and wife Tamera, Andrea, Heather, Amber, Shelby, Devin, and Brandon; daughter Tonya and husband Les Unruh of Bradley, Arkansas, and their children Trevor, Brittany and husband Mitch, Alyssa, Tyann, Reed, and Weylin; one sister, Bernice and husband Abe Boehs, Ringwood, Oklahoma, his wife's family Jim and Becky Snow, Whiteface, Texas, Twila Nickel, Fairview, Oklahoma, Donna and Bill Wedel, Ringwood, Oklahoma and Linda and Ronnie Kirk of Kaw City, Oklahoma, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, and one brother-in-law.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 1, 2018 at the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite with Minister Brad Koehn officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Cemetery under the direction of Pierce Funeral Home, Fairview, OK. Memorials may be made to the Cedar Christian School with Pierce Funeral Home serving as custodian at P.O. Box 15, Fairview, OK 73737. Condolences may be made online at www.piercefuneralhomes.com.
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