Lois Wenzel

Lois LaVonne Wenzel died on August 7, 2024, at United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was ninety-seven years old.

Born to Fred and Laura Kuechenmeister on October 2, 1926, in Edison Township, South Dakota, Lois was the second of twelve siblings. As the eldest daughter, she was a second mom to her brothers and sisters, caring for them as she was learning to care for herself. While attending school at a rural schoolhouse, she enjoyed reading books and learning to play the clarinet, but farm girls had both indoor and outdoor responsibilities, so she had little time to indulge in childhood. Though she’d finished eighth grade as the class valedictorian of the district, the bus route was changed, rendering her continued studies impossible. Thus, she moved on at age fourteen to find a position as a domestic helper, which also provided room and board. 

Later, the Kuechenmeisters moved to Denver Township, Minnesota, and became friendly with the Wenzels, who lived across the road. One night, some of the kids went together to a weekly dance, and Alvin, the eldest Wenzel son, bet his friends he’d escort Lois home that night. He lost the bet but won a “proper date” to the Rock County Fair, the first of many times he’d be dazzled by Lois’s sparkling conversation skills. They married on March 1, 1945, and settled around Luverne, Minnesota, where they raised three kids among various pets and sometimes farm animals. Lois continued to support her younger siblings, even after she began having her own children, who grew up surrounded by their uncles and aunts, either as playmates or short-term houseguests. The dynamic Wenzel and Kuechenmeister family networks came together for crises and special occasions, with wives coordinating potluck logistics, husbands telling stories, cousins making up games, and adults playing cards or Bunco.

In order to adapt to the needs of the family, Lois held a variety of jobs throughout her life, but her practical wisdom, creativity, real-life priorities, and natural management skills consistently made her stand out among her peers. At Kenny’s SuperValu in Luverne in 1965, she was named a finalist for designing the best Brach’s candy display, for which the grand prize was $1000. When she discovered she’d have to fly to Minneapolis for the finals, she told them she needed to be home in time to see her daughter’s starring turn in the school play. Later, with largely self-taught bookkeeping skills, she became an essential member of the team at Hastings Savings and Loan and Northwestern Bank. Even in times when gender roles were more restricted, she taught her daughters and granddaughters the importance of knowing how to be self-sufficient before they partnered with someone else.

In the early 1970s, with the kids out of the house, Lois and Alvin started a new chapter in Hastings, Minnesota, where they relocated when Alvin got a maintenance job for the local school district. Lois became the manager at Westview Apartments.

Lifelong dancers, Lois and Alvin joined the Polka Lovers Klub of America in the 1980s and had a blast going to dances and polka fests, both locally and nationally. As king and queen (1986–1987), they made media appearances and danced with governors and TV personalities. Once they retired in 1988, they became snowbirds, spending the winter in Texas or Arizona but also traveling coast to coast, attending polka fests, visiting family, camping, fishing, laughing, and just generally enjoying themselves. Honorary parents and grandparents to many, they connected easily with people, from table neighbors at restaurants to seatmates on the New York City subway. They took people at face value, treating them with respect and without judgment.

When Alvin passed away in 2011, after sixty-six years of marriage, Lois moved into Oak Ridge Apartments in Hastings, where she enjoyed socializing with her neighbors over puzzles and regular games of 500 rummy. She was an avid card player, who could easily beat you, even if she occasionally dozed off between turns. She read romance novels, skipping over the racy parts to get back to the witty banter.

In food as in life, Lois relished simple pleasures and avoided unnecessary complexity. We propose this recipe to remember her life well-lived: one charcoal-grilled rib eye, with just the right amount of char, a piece of garlic toast, and (if you’re feeling frisky) a glass of champagne. Repeat as often as you like, alone or with loved ones. The most important ingredient is your enjoyment.

She was preceded in death by parents Fred and Laura Kuechenmeister; husband Alvin Wenzel; son Loren Wenzel; daughter Carol Krugerud; grandson Adam Krugerud; sisters Darlene Dohlmann and Shirley Thompson; brothers Orville and Fred Kuechenmeister; infant brother, Lloyd Kuechenmeister; 5 brothers-in-law; 7 sisters-in-law.

She is survived by daughter JoAnn Meyers (David); brothers Marvin Kuechenmeister, Robert Kuechenmeister (June), Dale Kuechenmeister (Judy), Glenn Kuechenmeister (Virginia), Arlen Kuechenmeister (Char), and Donald Kuechenmeister; grandchildren Lisa Szumilas (Jeff), Joel Meyers, Rachel Meyers, Becky Nelson (Rory); Sara Riley (Andrew), and Karl Wenzel; great-grandchildren Timothy Oreskovich, Lucas Oreskovich, and Adrienne Riley; and step great-grandson RJ Nelson (Rory Jr.).

She was buried at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne, Minnesota, on August 10, 2024. A memorial service will follow at a later date at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Hastings, Minnesota.

Memorial donations may be directed to Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Lay Ministry, 400 9th Street, Hastings, Minnesota 55033. www.osel.org