Curtis Ellsworth Wennes

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 8:34 pm

Curtis Ellsworth Wennes, 92, of Hesper, died peacefully Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah. Funeral service is at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Hesper Lutheran Church in Hesper, with Rev. Matt Larson officiating. Burial is in the church Cemetery. Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at the Hesper Lutheran Church and Saturday one hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the Hesper Lutheran Church. The Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel is assisting with arrangements.

Curtis was born June 28, 1926, in Spring Grove, Minn., to Edgar and Cora (Brunsvold) Wennes. He attended school in Hesper and in Mabel, Minn., graduating from the Mabel High School in 1944.

Curtis married Sylvia Wirth at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church in Highlandville Sept. 28, 1947. Following their marriage, they lived in the Hesper/Mabel area and wintered in the Mesa / Gilbert Arizona area.

In 1951 Curtis started Wennes Truck Line with two straight trucks and four trailers. In 1958, he purchased property on Highway 44 in Mabel, which became the North Star (gas station) and Country Side Inn (restaurant).

Curtis enjoyed watching and going to NASCAR races around the United States.

He later raised Welsch ponies and enjoyed having them in parades in the tri-state area in the summer/fall and in Arizona in the winter.

Curtis is survived by his wife of 70 years, Sylvia; daughter Connie (Jag) Amdahl of Fountain Hills, Ariz.; sons, Randy (Julie) Wennes of Cresco, and Tony Wennes (Charlene Selbee) of Hesper; grandchildren: Tracy Kruse, Tim Wennes, Anita Elco, Terri Huish, Sarah Wennes, Kristen Wennes, Josh Wennes and Taylor Blaess; 10 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by a son, Gary Wennes and a grandson, Curt Wennes.