Gary Wenzl, 56, a nurse in Wichita for the last 28 years, died on Friday, Nov. 1, after a short illness. He leaves his wife, Missy, a medical technologist, and a daughter, Mandy Rose, age 7, a second grader in Wichita. He had many devoted friends who knew him as a shy introvert, but also as a guy with wit and charm who worked relentlessly for his patients. His nursing care saved or enhanced the lives of thousands of seriously ill patients over the last 28 years. It was a common thing for the Wenzl family members, when introduced to strangers in Wichita, to be asked, "are you related to that nurse who took such good care of our family member?" His home in Wichita, until he became a father and cleared out living space, was crammed with books, most of them non-fiction classics about world and American history. He took several history courses at Wichita State University to enhance his knowledge. He learned geology and botany for fun. On hikes, he would announce the names and scientific properties of every stone, tree and wildflower encountered. He visited, multiple times apiece, the Civil War battlefields of Gettysburg, Shiloh, Antietam and Vicksburg, among others, and could recite from memory thousands of small or pivotal details of these battles. He could recite the differing virtues and flaws of Civil War brass cannons, as opposed to iron cannons. He could recite from memory the names of most Roman emperors. His brothers made fun of his discourses on cannons and emperors, and he returned fire effectively. He texted jokes, insults or wise sayings to his brothers, written in either Latin, Italian, Tolkien Elvish or Star Trek Klingon, forcing his brothers to scramble for translations to return fire. Though deeply spiritual, he liked to gently mock more traditionally religious family members by pretending a false affection for Wotan the blood sacrifice god of the Vikings. One of his pet sayings, upon hearing good news: "Wotan is pleased." After he and Missy became parents six years ago, he laid aside studies and devoted life to family, reading to his daughter at night, telling her funny stories. He was born Oct. 2, 1957, to Gene and Rosemary Wenzl, farmers from Greenleaf, in Washington County, KS. He graduated from Washington High School in 1975, playing varsity tackle on the football team for two years, and excelling in history. He graduated from Cloud County Community College in 1977, and attended Emporia State University. He quit college and came home to help on his parents' farm in 1978 after his father was severely injured in a farm accident. He took courses, the next year, to become an Emergency Medical Technician. That led to his career in health care: EMT in Abilene, KS, 1979-1980: in Manhattan, 1980-1981. From 1981-1983 he served as a paramedic in Coffeyville, Kan., saving many lives on ambulance runs. In 1983 he enrolled in the Asbury Hospital School of Nursing in Salina. He graduated as a registered nurse in 1985, one of only three males in a class of 32 students. Soon after that, he took up a nursing job in Wichita. He married Missy Loesch at the chapel on the WSU campus in 1999. They were deeply devoted to each other, not only as husband and wife, but one another's best friend. He also leaves his mother, Rosemary Klozenbucher, of Greenleaf, KS; four brothers, Rich of Almena, KS, Tom, of Canon City, CO, Larry, of Marysville, KS, and Roy, of Wichita, KS; parents-in-law, Ron and Kitty Loesch of Attica, KS; sister-in-law, Mandy Loesch of Mission, KS, brother and sister-in-law, Matt and Reanna Loesch of Attica, KS, brother and sister-in-law, Bubba and Michaelane Helm of Kingman, KS; twenty one nieces and nephews; seven grandnieces and nephews. His father, Gene Wenzl and stepfather, Ed Klozenbucher, preceded him in death. A memorial college fund has been established for his precious daughter at Commerce Bank. Please forward any donations in care of Old Mission Mortuary. Services will take place at Old Mission Mortuary on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at 11:30 A.M. Luncheon will follow at Ahlberg Hall at WSU.