Charles N. Wenner, age 91
Cold Spring
May 30, 1930 – May 8, 2022
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 13, 2022, at St. John’s Abbey/University Church in Collegeville, MN for Charles N. Wenner, age 91, who died Sunday at the St. Cloud Hospital surrounded by his family. Burial will be in the St. Boniface Parish Cemetery, Cold Spring.
Visitation will be Thursday, May 12, at the Wenner Funeral Home, Cold Spring from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Charley was born on May 30, 1930, in St. Cloud, MN to Carl and Louise (Broker) Wenner. Charley graduated from St. Boniface High School in 1948 and earned a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences from St. John’s University in 1952. Following two years of Medical School at the University of MN he changed focus to a Mortuary Science Degree. After completing his Boards, he entered the Marine Corps shipping out to Officer’s Candidate School the same day. He served during the Korean War as a Military Police Officer (MP) and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. During his time in the service, he travelled extensively throughout the far east, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. He married Nancy L. Burns on July 21, 1956, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Pearl Lake, MN.
Charley and his brother, John owned and operated Wenner Hardware, Funeral Home, Gas Company and Ambulance Service in Cold Spring, MN. The call to serve others came naturally to him and was always delivered in a way that made you feel it was both his honor and a pleasure. Charley was the City Clerk for Cold Spring for several years and served on the Boards of Trustees for the State Bank of Cold Spring and Assumption Nursing Home. He served on the St. Boniface Parish Council and Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the American Legion Post 455, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Korean Last Man’s Club, Cold Spring Lions, and Knights of Columbus (4th Degree). Charley joined the Cold Spring Fire Department at the age of 14 during WWII when all abled bodied men were conscripted into service. He served as Fire Chief for a number of years and remained an active member of the Department until December 1984.
Charley enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, making maple syrup, and all things outdoors. He was passionate about traveling, cooking, and eating. Above all he loved people. He was uniquely wonderful, outgoing, caring, and compassionate – he had an innate ability to make friends of strangers; of making friends feel like family and family feel like friends. “Where are you going? Sit down. I have another question.”
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Nancy; children, Carl “Skosh” (Karen), Mathew (Rosario), Jerome (Sharon), Jo Ann Wenner, Patrick (Kelly), Paul, Mary Kay (George) Morris, James (Sandy); siblings, Mary Reichert, John (Joan), Margaret “Marne” Tiplady,
Thomas (Sandy), Robert (Judi); 28 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents and grandchildren: Baby Wenner, Marc Wenner, Baby Teresa Wenner, Baby Morris, Gregory Warren, and James Wenner II.
To all those who knew him, “Clickey- Clickey”.