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In memory of

Carol Ireland Wensel

Tucson, Arizona

June 9, 1940 - January 5, 2021

Jun 9, 1940 - Jan 5, 2021

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Born in Lexington, Kentucky on June 9, 1940 to Clarence and Charlotte Murphy, Carol Ireland was the second of four children. As a young child, she lived a simple life in a small crowded home filled with love, family, and a spiritual mindfulness. She often recounted stories of playing with her siblings, her beloved grandmother “Big Mama,” and her dog Boots. The occasional troublemaker, she enjoyed both making and serving mud pies and claimed to have once shot out the window of the backyard shed with a BB gun. Carol loved family trips to “the River” where she and her sister Alinda would run barefoot and carry buckets of water from the spring to their Aunt Teddie’s plumbing-free home. They would play at the old church down the road from Aunt Teddie’s, as it was always left open and beckoned them inside to sing and ‘preach.’ Her sister Alinda recalls that Carol could ‘give a good sermon.’ Carol’s childhood in her treasured Kentucky home would remain among her fondest memories.

While in Lexington, Carol attended Picadome Elementary and Lafayette Junior and High schools. In October 1956, during her junior year, she accompanied her parents and siblings as they went west to begin a new life in the pleasant climate of Phoenix, Arizona. Carol finished her education at Phoenix Union High School graduating in 1958.

During her senior year, Carol was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on October 17, 1957. Carol heard that a baptism was taking place under the stage of the old North Unit Kingdom Hall so she rushed home, grabbed her swimsuit, and got in line, thus abandoning plans to be baptized along with her mother at a later time. Her dedication to her God, Jehovah, would prove to be the most meaningful and important decision of her life.

In the early Fall of 1958, John Wensel accepted an invitation to join his friend, Dick Rosenberg, at a party being hosted by Carol Murphy in her family home. During that evening, John and Carol danced together and, according to John, she was spellbound by his Old Spice after shave. Their first official date was in late October at the Arizona State Fair. John recalls that they rode a scary ride and she clung to him “like soft butter on hot toast.” Just a few months later, they were engaged in February of 1959. On June 13, 1959 Carol married John, the love of her life. In December of 1960, Carol and John welcomed their first child, Kara De Layne, and then, just shy of two years later, twins David John and Daniel John in November 1962. Carol was a devoted wife, Mom, and “Grandie.”

In the years that followed, Carol enjoyed opportunities to witness to those she met in the field ministry, teaching many the Bible truths she cherished. She considered it an honor and duty to attend weekly meetings, assemblies, and annual conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

An accomplished homemaker, Carol was talented at gardening, baking, and sewing. Gifted at flower arranging and home decorating, she was a gracious hostess who enjoyed entertaining family and friends. As a self-respecting Kentucky woman, she considered herself an expert on Kentucky whiskey and Southern cooking. She taught her children and grandchildren how to play cards and was partial to Canasta in which her victories could often be attributed to obvious cheating.

In addition to spiritual pursuits, Carol enjoyed music and crooners such as Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, and Willie Nelson. Her devoted husband frequently repeated the lyrics from Roger Whittaker’s song The Last Farewell, “For you are beautiful. And, I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell.” Not surprising, leaning to her Southern roots, she loved Gone With the Wind and no doubt felt kinship with the flawed and resourceful heroine, Scarlett O’Hara. Carol had an affinity for entertainment that reflected the principled values of simpler times. It was rumored, in fact, that she had a television that only played old Doris Day movies and Andy Griffith Show reruns.

In her final months, as illness wrecked havoc on Carol’s mind and body, her devoted husband cared for her at home with tenderness, dignity, and compassion. We are forever grateful and proud of our Dad. Indeed, he loved her ‘more deeply than the spoken word can tell.’

On Tuesday, January 5th, 2021, Carol Ireland Wensel finished the race. (2 Timothy 4:7) She remained a faithful servant of Jehovah until her death. While we are deeply saddened at the passing of our wife and mother, we are thankful for the time that we had with her and are immensely proud of her endurance and steadfast faithfulness. We eagerly anticipate the day that we will joyfully welcome her back to a paradise-restored earth.

Carol is survived by her loving husband, John Arthur Wensel, her children Kara Thorpe (Todd), David Wensel (Julie), and Daniel Wensel, six grandchildren (Kellie, Michael [Kara], Ava [David], Brett, Taylor, and Drew [Daniel], and a great granddaughter Mattie [Taylor]). She is also survived by her sister Alinda Genteman (Ken), brother Clarence “Joe” Murphy (Vivian), and sister Charlotte Ann Murphy.

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