Joan Evelyn (Drew) Wenzel

A funeral mass for Joan Evelyn (Drew) Wenzel, age 84, formerly of Millersport, will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 5133 Walnut Road in Buckeye Lake with Father William Hritsko as Celebrant. Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, at the Kirkersville Chapel of Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service, 285 East Main Street in Kirkersville, where a Vigil Service will be held at 7:45 p.m. Burial will take place at a later date at Maple Grove Cemetery in Detour Village, Michigan.

Joan was born July 18, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois to the late George and Annabelle Elizabeth (Ryan) Drew. She passed away on Thursday, February 13, 2020 at The Inn at SharonBrooke in Newark.

Throughout her childhood, Joan lived on Huron Street (west side of Chicago). She attended St. Lucy’s Catholic School and graduated high school from St. Catherine’s in 1953. In June of 1953 Joan went to work as a secretary for the American National Gas Pipeline Company. She took night courses to prepare herself for legal secretary work. She then worked as a stenographer for two years (1955-1957) at a law firm. She met Frank George Wenzel at a Catholic church dance in the city and they later married on May 5, 1956. Joan was employed in a secretarial and switchboard pool for a number of years (1957-1960).

In 1956 Joan and Frank lived in an apartment on the west side of Chicago. They moved into their first house in Elk Grove Village, a suburb of Chicago.  Here they stayed for 6 years. Elizabeth Ann was born in 1960, then in 1962 Deborah Ann was born. In August of ’64 the family moved to Palatine, Il (606 N. Wren St.) until the family relocated to Bloomington, Indiana in January 1970.

Frank and Joan opened a restaurant called Chicken Unlimited in Bloomington. Unfortunately, the franchise failed in 1975. Joan once again took night courses in secretarial skills and shorthand. She was employed at the Indiana University Business School for a duration of 4 years (‘75-’79). She was then hired at the IU Personnel Office as an administrative clerk and retired after 19 years of service.

Joan moved to Millersport, Ohio after her divorce from and later death of Frank Wenzel (1930-1994).  She helped care for her grandchildren while working part time at the Village of Millersport, then at Kroger Deli and later at Kendall (food services). She even worked as a substitute teacher’s aide for the Licking County Educational Service Center. Throughout her time in Ohio, Joan was an active member of the Granville Senior Center and her local Red Hats Society. Joan was a member of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She volunteered for many community events (Midland Theater), participated in yoga classes, and enjoyed playing Dominoes with a group of her friends. She volunteered at Millersport Elementary School.

She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Beth and Roger Warner and Debbie Wenzel and Stan Kauchak, grandchildren, Kara Lynn Kauchak (Andrew Rhew), Bonnie Stutske (Michael Stutske), William Ashley (Cesar Seguil), Ryan Olivia Kauchak, Brooke Evelyn Kauchak, Emily Drew Kauchak, Stephen Warner and Andrew Warner; great-grandchildren, Wyatt Stutske and William Stutske; sister-in-law, Barbara Drew; nieces and nephew, Kathleen Heller, Kris Drew, George Drew, Jr. and Kim Klepitsch; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, George Drew, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dementia Society of America by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, or online at www.DementiaSociety.org/donate or to the Perry Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), 4757 Tile Plant Road, New Lexington, OH 43764.

Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to care for Joan and her family.