Robert Eugene Wenisch
At the age of 71, Robert Eugene Wenisch died in the evening hours on Sunday, November 16, 2014 at St. Gertrude’s Health Care Center in Shakopee. Visitation will be Thursday, November 20 th from 4-7 pm at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 104 First Street West, Jordan. Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday 10:00am at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Jordan. Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. Full military honors will be provided by the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Honor Guard.
Robert was born in Sleepy Eye, MN on November 30, 1942 to parents Kip and Elizabeth (Unzeitig) Wenisch. He was the third youngest of six children. Growing up, their family moved a lot as their dad was a 49er, working different areas in Minnesota. At a young age he was a paperboy who drove a Cushman two wheeler. He enjoyed driving his two-wheeler so much that it became a life-long obsession.
Following school, he joined the United States Navy, where he honorably served our country. After the military, he returned back to Minnesota and found a new group of friends, the Leben’s brothers of Shakopee. They had a sister, Donna that he took a liking to, and the same for her, and after a period of dating they exchanged wedding vows at St. Mark’s Catholic Church on October 30, 1965. They were blessed with three sons, Kevin, Craig and Dan.
Robert spent 32 years as an electrician for Sterling Commonwealth Electrical Company, working on commercial buildings. He was a member of the I.B.E.W. local #292.
His earlier passion for Cushman two wheelers continued into his adulthood as he restored two Cushmans and was a member of the Minnesota Cushman Club. He also enjoyed snowmobiling, taking many trips up to Crane Lake, MN, on the Canadian border. He was a member of the Chaska Sno-Hawks Snowmobile Club.
Besides his family, his true love was hunting. He enjoyed his local and “out west” hunts with his brother “Romie”. He liked to rebuild and restore guns and was a federal firearms licensed dealer. Deer hunting was what he enjoyed most.
Known as hardworking, loyal and a true outdoorsman, Robert will be missed by his wife, Donna Wenisch; sons, Kevin Wenisch of Jordan, Craig (Sherry) Wenisch of Jordan, Dan Wenisch of Henderson; grandchildren Avery and Tyler Wenisch; siblings, Marlene (Isidor) Mahowald of Park Rapids, Charlotte (Bill) White of Park Rapids, Manie (Rick) Lebens of Eagle Lake.
Robert is preceded in death by parents, Kip and Elizabeth (Unzeitig) Wenisch; siblings, Patricia (Robert) Fischer and Jerome “Romie” Wenisch.
Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Cremation, Jordan Chapel, proudly served Robert’s family. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com
