Esther Wenzel
Esther Marie Holtkamp Wenzel was born on July 16, 1930 in Kalida, OH and passed away peacefully the morning of May 6, 2022. She was the youngest child of the late Edward Cornelius Holtkamp and the late Mary Stechshulte Holtkamp. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Edward Charles Wenzel, her sisters, Margaret (Holtkamp) Pizzurro and Catherine Mary Holtkamp, CDP, and brother Edward Joseph Holtkamp.
Esther grew up in the small village of Kalida, OH and attended Mary Manse College of Toledo, OH where she received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1952. After graduation, she moved to Santa Monica, CA to pursue her career and purchased a bright white TR3 convertible to fully enjoy the California lifestyle. She spent several years in Denver, CO where she honed her skiing and golfing skills, and finally met her future husband, Edward, after moving to Madison, WI. They were married in 1962.
Esther spread joy to all who knew her with her constant smile, ever present cheerful attitude, and frequent outbursts of song. She acquired a love of walking and running later in life and competed in many 5K races to benefit charities close to her heart, usually coming in first in the 70+ divisions. She continued her love of golf all of her life and could often be found on the putting green at Springmoor Retirement Community.
She will be greatly missed by her four surviving children and their families: Edward Wenzel and wife, Anita of Troy, MI; Anne Eason and husband, Donald of Chesapeake, VA; Thomas Wenzel and wife, Shelly of Raleigh; and Susan Getter and husband, Marc, of Raleigh. She was the proud grandmother of six beloved grandchildren, Andrew, Margaret, Eddie, Adam, Madeline, and Emma.
Visitation will be at 10AM on Friday, May 13th, 2022 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, followed by a funeral Mass at 11AM.
In lieu of flowers, tell your mom you love her, sing a happy song, or walk/run a 5K supporting a charity you love. Alternatively, donations may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2718 Overbrook Dr, Raleigh NC 27608 or the Springmoor Endowment Fund, 1500 Sawmill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615.