Edward Wendler

Edward Wendler of Houston, Texas passed away on Monday, July 6, 2020, at the age of 89. He was born November 15, 1930, in Ledbetter, Texas, to Carl and Irene Cathrine (Nitzschke) Wendler. Ed graduated from Giddings High School and attended Allen Military Academy in Bryan on a football scholarship, where he also lettered in baseball. After graduating, he attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College (now Texas State University) in San Marcos, where he financed his attendance by helping renovate “Old Main,” the college’s iconic administration building. While there, he spent many happy days swimming in the San Marcos River to fulfill PE class requirements, participating in ROTC, and meeting the love of his life, fellow student Juanima “Teny” Johnston.

After graduating in 1953, the couple married at First Lutheran Church in San Marcos on June 5, 1954. Days later, they moved to Fort Warren in Cheyenne, Wyoming after Ed received his commission as a Lieutenant with the U.S. Air Force. Eventually he was elevated to the rank of Major after serving at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and Edwards Air Force Base in California. With his military service fulfilled, Ed continued to serve in the U.S. Air Force Reserves at Ellington Air Force Base after the couple returned to Texas, settled in Houston and welcomed their daughter, Ronda.

Ed initially worked in the transportation field and Teny taught elementary school. But in 1969, the couple took a bold risk and founded Wendler Marine Service, Inc., a waterways transportation company that coordinated tugboats with barges to deliver products to various destinations along the Intracoastal Waterway, from Texas to Florida and all points in between. 

The company was the first of its kind in the Houston area, earning Ed the nickname “King of the Canal.” Clients included, Aramco, Exxon, Shell, Diamond Shamrock, Dow Chemical, Pittsburg Plate Glass, Dupont and Morton Salt, to name a few. 

Ed was fascinated by current events and read multiple newspapers every day from cover to cover. He liked cutting out particularly interesting articles to share with family and friends, and quizzing them later to see if they read them. He also took great delight in watching documentaries about history and mysteries of nature. 

Ed enjoyed tending to his horses, cows and donkeys on his ranch, where he toiled in the sun for months to grow acres of organic vegetables, only to give them all away. He loved the Houston Astros; guayabera shirts; the Caribbean islands and Reggae music; the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve performance televised each year on PBS, the city of New Orleans; and the color green.

Ed disliked stiff business suits; Hallmark holidays (“buy flowers because you want to, not because you have to”); sitting still and wasting time; asking for help; pitifully low interest rates on CDs and IRAs; and preparing his income taxes which he skillfully avoided this year by leaving us earlier than expected. 

Ed is survived by his daughter Ronda and her husband Steve Ueckert of Houston; granddaughter Melissa Ueckert of Houston; grandson Joshua Ueckert and his wife Caitlin of Los Angeles; and brothers Isidor Wendler of Marble Falls and Joe Wendler and his wife Karen of Houston, as well as extended family in Texas, California and New York. 

He is preceded in death by his brothers Edwin, William and Carl, and his sisters Bernita and Linnie. 

Ed will be laid to rest in a private family service at the historic Driftwood Cemetery near Austin. A larger celebration in his memory will take place when it is safe for family and friends to gather.

In lieu of flowers, Ed would ask you to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and vote this November. Memorial contributions can be made to the Johnston-Wendler Scholarship at Texas State University’s College of Education, COEScholarship@txstate.edu; or the Flora Whisenant Johnston Scholarship, FinancialAid@txstate.edu. Go Astros!