Obituary For Marita G. Snyder Wenner
Written by WKTN Staff on December 18, 2019
Marita Georgene Wenner lived her life and left this life with grace, dignity – and a determination to do it exactly as she wanted. She loved her family above all else, and she left us the night before we were all gathering for an early Christmas celebration, her family together in her house, with beautiful decorations and the table set for dinner. And she then went to join Bill Wenner, the love of her life, to celebrate Christmas with him.
Marita left so many who loved her. Her bright blue-eyed enthusiasm for teaching, travel, golf, mahjong, and her beloved OSU Buckeyes, brought her into the worlds of so many people. And her sense of humor entertained everyone around her. She was stubborn, and a force with which to be reckoned (her students who caught her eyes flash could attest to that!), but it was an iron hand in a velvet glove.
Marita was married to Bill for over 65 years, until he died in March, 2017, and the love they shared was legendary. They considered their family, daughter Melissa (Rick) Jackson, son Chuck, grandson Weston and granddaughter Lora, their greatest legacy. Marita’s beloved sister, Joyce Snobarger, was her twin in so many ways, and they shared every moment of their lives with one another. Marita’s parents, George and Audrey Snyder, who predeceased her, were an inspiration to her every day of her life. She always said that she was so lucky to marry into the Forrest and Mabel Wenner family because she loved their big, boisterous, close family.
Marita graduated from Carey High School and earned her degree from Bowling Green State University, studying also at the University of Colorado (which she totally enjoyed). She was in Alpha Chi Omega sorority and was a runner-up beauty queen to a woman who became a well-known movie star! She adopted Ohio State after marrying Bill. She was a great teacher, most recently Spanish (although there were stints of teaching French, as well) and stayed in touch with and close to so many of her students. She taught at McCutchenville, Findlay, and Carey, Ohio. She and Bill lived in Carey and were principals in the family business, the Snyder Lumber Company, she and Joyce, along with their husbands, became the moving force behind Carey Development Company, which developed all of Snyder Park. After she retired from teaching, and Bill retired from Charles Associates, they moved to Tiffin and became members of the Mohawk Country Club. In fact, they moved right onto the course. Bill was President, and Marita headed up the ladies. Marita was a fairly good golfer, but she is renowned for tossing, with some frustration, a club into the pond on Hole 18. She eventually became an honorary life member of Mohawk. They loved traveling – had a condo in Cancun, which they dearly loved, and also a home in Ft. Myers, Florida (again, on the golf course)! Marita was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Carey, Ohio; she was a member of Eastern Star, Mary Martha class and Findlay Dining Club. She and Bill also were co-owners of the KOA Campground in Vanlue and Spare Closet in Findlay.
Visitation will be Tuesday, December 17 at Stombaugh Batton Funeral Home, Carey from 4:00 – 7:00 pm and the funeral will be Wednesday, December 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carey, with Rev William Schultz officiating. Burial will follow in Spring Grove Cemetery, Carey.
Memorial contributions may be made to Dorcas Carey Public Library or Christ Evangelical Lutheran in care of Stombaugh-Batton Funeral Home, 225 West Findlay Street, Carey, OH 43316-1169.
Online condolences may be made at StombaughBatton.com
