Dates
Lawrence (Larry) Wedel was born in Houston on June 15, 1946, the second of 4 brothers. The family moved to Wisconsin, so he spent his early childhood there. At age 12 he moved with the family back to Houston, (Spring Branch), and he subsequently graduated from Spring Branch Memorial High School.
He joined the Navy and served 4 years as a corpsman, expanding his medical knowledge, and was one of the first people trained in CPR when it was new. Stationed at the Naval Hospital in San Diego and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Base, he had many opportunities to use this life saving technique, and felt great satisfaction at the results.
After the Navy he attended San Diego City College, completing an Associate Degree in aircraft mechanics. He worked briefly in California, then came back to Texas. He started as a dialysis technician at Austin Diagnostic Clinic, became Kidney Transplant Coordinator for the nephrologists there, and found that a most fulfilling job. At ADC he met Pat, his future wife, who was recently divorced.
He then became more interested in computers, took some technical school courses, worked in computer repair, then computer board manufacture, which led to working at IBM in that area. He took advantage of the college courses IBM offered through Park University and earned his BS in Computer Science, subsequently transferring to the area that tested new computers before their release.
He left IBM when he and Pat moved to San Angelo in 2005 for retirement. Pat's daughter and son-in-law lived there, and the son-in-law was a commercial contractor, who built the house Pat had designed. They were there for 13 years, leasing part of their acreage to a farmer and tending a small, newly planted pecan orchard themselves. Then Larry decided his brain needed testing. He inquired at San Angelo State what their most difficult course was. They said more students failed the "Anatomy and Physiology" course in the Nursing School than any other. So, he signed up, passed it, and went on to complete an Associate Degree, becoming an RN at the age of 65.
Unfortunately, right after graduation he began to have symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation, had to have treatments and medication for it and was unable to undertake the arduous work of a beginning nurse, so he retired again.
Larry is survived by his wife of 44 years, his brothers Fred, Tom and Dan Wedel, his step children Rodney Chesnutt, Jackie Lynn Chesnutt, Patrick and wife Diana Chesnutt and their children Travis and Kristin, and Michael and wife Tina Chesnutt and their children Sarah and Caleb, nieces Janey Sowden and Susan Walther, and great grandchildren, great nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held for him on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2:00 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 201 Hwy 1431 East, Marble Falls, TX.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, American Red Cross, St. Jude’s Hospital, Shriner’s Hospital, or the charity of your choice.