Donald Wetzel

A funeral service for Donald D. Wetzel, 75, New Salem, will be held at 11 a. m. CDT, Thursday, Oct. 20, at Peace Church, New Salem. Burial will be at Friendship Cemetery, rural Glen Ullin. Visitation will be held from 3 to 5 p. m. CDT Wednesday at Spangelo-Stevenson Funeral Home, Glen Ullin. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Donald passed away Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, at Sanford Health, Bismarck. Donald Wetzel was born in Hebron on June 11, 1941, to Willie O. and Adella (Nagel) Wetzel. He went to school in Hebron until they moved to the family farm northeast of Glen Ullin, where he attended country school through eighth grade. His dad took them to school by sled in the winter. He always regretted that he wasn’t able to skate and ski like his dad due to his weak ankles. His earliest memories were trapping with his dad and the first time he drove tractor. A big outing for Donnie and his dad was when the new cars came out. He also remembered and enjoyed the time he spent with his grandpa, Peter O. Wetzel. He and his friends were known for drag racing with their (now classic) cars. During this time, he was introduced to Irene Sprecher and after a time, they were married at Glen Ullin German Congregational Church on a beautiful February day. Three children were born to this union, Brian, Carmen and Vicky. It made him nervous to attend his children’s activities, but he was always proud of them. Motorcycling became a reality and he and Irene did a lot of traveling around the country along with Jerry and Shirley Kroh. He would always tease that Irene was waiting on the bike for him. Although he did not want to participate in many organizations, he was a member of the Sportsman Club and a director for the fire department in New Salem. Donald was a quiet man with a good sense of humor and was known for having a great laugh. The pride and joy of his life were his children, grandchildren and special great-granddaughter, Natellie. He enjoyed traveling to the sporting events to watch his grandchildren — some verbal comments that he made banned him to his own seat in the bleachers. He enjoyed playing pinochle and missed this very much when he was too ill and unable to walk. A highlight in recent years was a trip to the NASCAR race in Kansas City. He faithfully would watch Pastor Sailer on Sunday mornings. He was upset when it was taken off the air for a time. Donald was a life-long farmer/rancher, until medical problems forced him to retire. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Irene; his son, Brian (Linda) Wetzel, Oakland, Iowa, and their children, Jesse Westad, Kelley (Ryan) Pexsa and Holly (Pat) Geibel; his daughter, Carmen Kuntz, Bismarck, and her children, Kari Kuntz (Steve Schumacher), Shane Kuntz (Chasidy Nelson) and Casey Kuntz (Lexi Zhorela); his daughter, Vicky (Arthur) Weiss, New Salem; his great-grandchildren, Breanna, Katie and Reagan Pexsa and Natellie Kuntz; two sisters, Phyllis Kinsella, Mandan, and Darlene (Rudy) Peltz, Bismarck; one sister-in-law, Carol Sprecher, Glen Ullin; two brothers-in-law, James Sprecher, Minnesota, and Dennis (Mel) Sprecher, Colorado; one uncle, Richard (Marion) Nagel, Bismarck; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jacob and Pauline (Verworn) Sprecher; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Joseph Duppong; one sister-in-law, Elaine Sprecher; and one brother-in-law, Harold Kinsella.


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Burial Date: October 20, 2016
Church Peace Church

Funeral Service: Thursday: Peace Church, New Salem, ND