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Carol E. Wendel, 83, of Schaller died Sept. 10, 2025, at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake.
Funeral services will take place Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. Burial will be in Schaller Cemetery. Visitation will be held Monday, Sept. 15, from 4-7 p.m. at the church. Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Schaller is in charge of the arrangements.
Carol Elaine Peters Wendel was born Dec. 24, 1941, in Denison, to Leslie and Beulah Darling Peters. She was baptized Jan. 18, 1942 in Deloit. The family settled in Galva around 1949. She confirmed her faith at St. John Lutheran Church in Galva in 1955 and graduated from high school in 1959. While in school she was active in band and vocal music and was the accompanist for many groups. With only six months of piano lessons and following in the footsteps of her mother, Carol began playing the organ. Through the years she continued to play for several area churches.
On Aug. 2, 1959, she was united in marriage to Ronald Wendel at St. John Lutheran Church in Galva. They made their home on the family farm northwest of Schaller and were blessed with three children: Daniel, Deborah and Diane. Ron and Carol were members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schaller. Carol was a longtime Sunday School teacher, organist and member of the Ladies Aid, where she held many offices. Carol was also a member of the Schaller library board and she and Ron were in charge of the citywide garage sales for many years.
In 1982, Ron and Carol began refinishing old trunks. Soon Carol was known as the “Trunk Lady” and gave many talks on their hobby at county fairs, nursing homes and ladies groups. Through the years they did over 1,000 trunks that are scattered all over the United States.
In 2006, Carol, her daughter Deb, and granddaughter Erica, traveled to Pasadena as Petal Pushers and helped decorate the Lutheran Hour float for the Rose Parade. This was the only year they had a downpour of rain during the parade, but made it an experience never to be forgotten. When son Dan became an auctioneer, she helped set up the auctions and became a ring man. Her greatest joy was being with her family and babysitting her great-grandchildren.
In 1997, Ron and Carol left their farm life behind and moved to town. They purchased the Jim and Peg Currie house in Schaller which was the perfect home for them. They opened their home to many visitors that needed a “home away from home.” Among the most memorable guests was Katie Stamm Irk, Miss America of 2009. Carol became known as Grandma Carol to her grandchildren’s friends and during her trip to Europe with a group of students from Nevada, Iowa, along with two of her grandchildren, she came home with 16 new “grandkids.”
She was preceded in death by her husband Ron in 2013; her parents, Les and Beulah Peters; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Lorence and Lydia Wendel; sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Harold Beermann; sister Kathy Rasmussen; and sister-in-law Mary Peters.
Survivors are son Dan (Heather) Wendel of Spencer; daughter Deb (Rick) Willer of Schaller; daughter Diane (Jim) Bengtson of Nevada; grandchildren: Vince (Nikki) Wendel, Tara (Mark) Barger and Tamara Jackson, all of Springfield, Mo.; Jeremy Lambert of Schaller; Jordan Wendel (Haley) of Indianapolis, Ind.; Angie (Jeff) Lussman of Storm Lake; Erica (Nick) Fassler of Alta; Becky (Ryan) Wuebker of Galva; Brian Bengtson of Urbandale; Brenna Bengtson of Des Moines; great-grandchildren: Ella and Owen Fry; Evren Barger; Ty and Jax Wendel; Charlie Irman; Roan Jackson; Olivia and Hayden Fassler; Adysen, Easton and Braxton Lussman; Peyton, Avery and Brody Wuebker; Brendan and Brooklyn Weller; brother Richard Peters of Dallas, Texas; and many nieces and nephews.
