Christine Wenger

Christine Wenger, formerly of McAllen, Texas, died at the age of 98 on Monday September 14, 2015 in Plano, Texas, where she had resided since 2007. She was born Christine Marie Miller to Charles Franklin Miller [1885-1965] and Bertha Lydia Amstutz Miller [1886-1948], on April 17, 1917, in Bluffton, Ohio. She was the fourth of five children, including the three elders, Margaret Nell Miller Brauen, Kathleen Miller Wenger, and Jane Miller Baker, and the youngest, James Franklin Miller. Christine attended the Bluffton public schools [she skipped 3rd grade], and graduated from Bluffton College in 1938, majoring in Public School Music. On June 8, 1941, she married her college sweetheart Donald Dean Wenger in Bluffton. For three years after college graduation, Christine taught music at Liberty Township School, in Findlay, Ohio. She became a stay-at-home-mother with the birth of Tom, the first of four children to come. Don was in the Navy during WWII, and after his return, he and Christine stayed in Ohio for a short while, then they, Tom, and daughter Jean who was also born in Ohio, moved to south Texas, in 1947, living in Mission, Sharyland, and Mercedes, but soon settling for good in McAllen, Texas. Two more children, Steven and Suzanne, were born in south Texas. Christine taught private piano lessons for many years in her home, and oversaw many piano recitals of her students. She also taught music for 6 years at Navarro Elementary School in McAllen. Christine was a devout Christian, and never stopped studying the Bible. She and Don were long-standing members of St. Mark Methodist Church in McAllen, and both gave countless volunteer hours to the church. Christine was the choir director for years, played the piano for many Sunday evening services, was a Sunday School Teacher, and a devoted Sunday School attendee. One of her favorite Bible Study groups was “Bible Study Fellowship” at St. Mark, of which she was a member and also pianist for 6 years. Don passed away in 2000, and Christine remained in McAllen until 2007, when, at the age of 90, she decided “it was time” to move closer to the family, and she relocated to an independent living home in Plano, Texas, where she lived wonderfully close to son Steven and his family. By this time, almost all of the clan was living in north Texas, and she enjoyed drop-in visits from family, overnight stays with them, many more family reunions, many birthday parties, and other events for years. She joined a Bible Study group at the independent living home, and continued her life-long joy of Bible study. Her friends and family remember the incredible facts and verses she could recite from the Bible. Christine was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Wenger, all four siblings, infant granddaughter Kate Wenger, son-in-law Robert Davis, brothers-in-law Dennis Brauen, Harold Wenger [Don’s brother and also Kathleen’s husband], and Arden Baker, and sister-in-law Imogene Elenore Wenger Althaus. She is survived by her children who adored her, Thomas James Wenger, M.D. and wife Kay, Jean Marie Wenger Davis King and husband Larry, Steven David Wenger and wife Donna, and Suzanne Christine Wenger Goodrich and husband Mark; grandchildren Michael James Wenger and wife Brenda, Scott Andrew Wenger, M.D. and wife Ginny, Robert Ryan Davis, Jr. and wife Claudia, Christine Cole Davis Smith and husband Andy, Leslie Marie Goodrich Calvert and husband Ross IV, Wilson Matthew Goodrich, David Wynne Wenger, and Brent Michael Wenger; great-grandchildren Dillon Wenger, Connor Staley, Luke Wenger, Adam Wenger, Andrew Smith, Amy Smith, Joanna Smith, Robert Davis III, Ross Calvert V, and Charles Calvert; brother-in-law John Althaus of Wadsworth, Ohio; sister-in-law Esther Ramseyer Miller of Mission, TX.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services to be at St. Mark United Methodist Church of McAllen, with a visitation at 12:00 noon. The service at 1:00 PM Saturday, September 19th 2015 at St. Mark United Methodist Church, followed by the burial at Valley Memorial Gardens on N. Taylor Road. Christine’s favorite charity was World Vision. If desired, contact 1-888-511-6519, Source Code 31003719, to make memorial contributions specifically in honor of Christine.

Tributes

Christine Wenger

April 17, 1917 - September 14, 2015