Clarence Wenker

Clarence A. Wenker, age 96 of Melrose, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at Cura Care Center of Melrose in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 31 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Mitchell Bechtold officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery with military honors by the Melrose Veterans Honor Guard. The Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed on the church’s YouTube channel: Church of St. Mary Melrose. 

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Parish prayer will be at 6 p.m. Monday evening. 

Clarence Anthony Wenker was born April 16, 1928 in Greenwald, Minnesota to Bernard and Rose (Kortenbusch) Wenker. He graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture. Clarence served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. He was united in marriage to Mary Ann Meyer on August 23, 1958 in Meire Grove, Minnesota. Clarence began working at Melrose Implement in 1956, which he later co-owned and operated with his brother Eddie until he retired in 1993. He enjoyed fishing, traveling and playing cards, but most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Clarence was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council #1633, American Legion Post 101, and Melrose Chamber of Commerce.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Wenker of Melrose; children, John (Bonnie) Wenker of St. Cloud, Karen (Dan) Anderson of Wyoming, Janice (Terry) Jones of Falcon Heights, and Greg Wenker of Hopkins; four grandchildren, Jonathan, Benjamin, Samantha, and Jackelyn; step-grandchild, Nicole; sister, Adeline Schaefer of Burnsville; sisters-in-law, Radie Wenker of Albany and Rita Mehr of Melrose; and many nieces and nephews.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Herbert (Dorothy) Wenker, Edmund (Tillie) Wenker, Raymond (Lorraine) Wenker, Adolph Wenker, and Larry Wenker; sisters, Sylvia (Henry) Schulzetenberg, Edna (Melvin) Worms, Marie (Eddie) Schneider, and Florentine (Ken) Hammer.