Obituary – Lawrence E. Wenger
Lawrence Edward Wenger passed away peacefully and went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Larry, as he was affectionately known by all who knew him, was born on August 27th, 1934, in Bloodland, Mo. In 1941 his family moved onto a farm in the small town of Licking, Mo., where he grew up. Larry attended Mount Olive Grade School (grades 1-3), Ship Grade School (grades 4-8), and graduated from Licking High School in 1953. After graduation he went to work as a Merchant Seaman for two years on the Great Lakes, all the while attending Electronics Trade School full time and graduating before entering the U.S. Army in 1956. He served for two years in Germany as a Radio Technician/Operator. While he was stationed in Germany, he was able to meet and visit with some of his relatives in their homes in Murrhardt, West Germany.
Upon leaving the Army, he returned home and went to work for RCA Company International, who were contracted with NASA to run the Missile Test Project – Eastern Test Range, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. Later that same work took him on to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, and Ascension Island off the coast of Africa. All totaled, his time as a technician with RCA/NASA was 13 years.
He then moved to the Atlanta area and went on to work for the State of Georgia Department of Administrative Services as a Technician and moved up to Supervisor of the Atlanta, Ga., shop, retiring after 27 years.
It was at the beginning of his time with the State of Georgia that he met and married the love of his life, Alice Christine Rasnake, and they were married on June 25, 1972. Larry and Alice were blessed with their one and only child, a baby girl, Laura Alice, on September 30, 1973. Douglasville, Ga., was their home where they lived happily married for 48 years before Alice was called home to be with her Lord and Savior on August 9, 2020. Larry loved his family, being a dad to his daughter, a granddad to Jacob and Jessica and looking forward to being a great-granddad to his Great Grandson due in February 2025.
Larry loved the Lord and spent his life serving him. He served as a deacon for many years as well as being a Sunday School Teacher, working side by side with his wife, Alice, in the baptistery and vacation bible school teams. He especially loved working with young folks and teaching them about the Lord. Wherever the Lord led him, he would follow that call. He also was an avid gardener who loved sharing the abundant vegetables from his gardens. He called the garden “The Lord’s Garden” as he always made it a point to grow enough for any and all the Lord laid upon his heart who needed food, and also to show his love for Him through giving unto others. He was recognized by Douglas County, where he lived for over 50 years, as a Master Gardener for both Big and Medium Gardens. He loved his Britt Drive family, a special group of neighbors with whom friendships were established and continued all the way to the time of his death. Also, Larry had a love for the outdoors, fishing (lots of fishing stories), hunting and going for walks with neighbors, and many vacations visiting family and being there for his family in any way. Now Larry is in heaven with his Lord and Savior after 90 years of faithful service here on earth and united with his wife, many friends and relatives.
Lawrence is survived by his daughter, Laura Alice Brown (husband Jim), of Conyers, Ga., grandson Jacob Brown (wife Ariel), of Athens, Tenn., granddaughter Jessica Brown, of Conyers, Ga., sister Nina Gaines (husband Carl), of Smyrna, Tenn., sister-in-law Beverly Gwynn (husband Bill), of Cartersville, Ga., brother-in-law Donald Rasnake (wife Debbie), of McDonough, Ga., sister-in-law Judy Rasnake, of Senoia, Ga.
Lawrence Edward Wenger is preceded in death by his wife, Alice; his Dad and Mom, Emil and Amelia Wenger; brothers Robert Chester Wenger, Ronald Roy Wenger, Emil Herbert Wenger, Marvin Henry Wenger; sisters Marie Francis Clemmons, Ramona Ruth Myers and Jean Lorene Wenger; sisters-in-law Elenor Wenger, Shirley Wenger, Annette Harris; brothers-in-law Herbert Rasnake, Jr. and Ben Harris; nephew David Myers, Eddie Clemmons and great-niece Riley Alexis Gilbert.
The family received friends at Hightower’s Memorial Chapel on Thursday, September 5, 2024, from 10:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. The funeral service followed in the Chapel at 12 p.m. with Dr. John Pennington officiating. Jacob Brown, Jim Brown, Dustin Harvey, Tyler Gwynn, Carson Gwynn, Chad Manion, Russ Dickerson, Eric Brown served as pallbearers. Carl Gaines, Steve Gaines, Brad Gaines, Bill Gwynn served as honorary pallbearers. Interment followed at Sunrise Memorial Garden.
You may share your thoughts and condolences online at www.hightowersmemorial.com. Hightower’s Memorial Chapel of Douglasville had charge of the arrangements.
