Conrad Loyal Wetzel

Conrad was born September 16, 1931, in Tennessee, Illinois, the seventh of fourteen children of Harry and Gertrude (Carson) Wetzel. The family later farmed in rural Colchester, Illinois.

A life-long passion for church music and religious history was first kindled at Camp Creek Church of the Brethren, and he was baptized there in 1942. He graduated from Colchester High School in 1949, and from Manchester College in 1958.

He and Martyne Landis Ruth met at Reba Place Fellowship in Evanston, Illinois, and discovered that they both came from big music-loving farm families. They married on January 14, 1961, and soon moved to Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois in 1969.

They moved their family of three sons to rural Tiskilwa, Illinois, in 1971, where they were members of the Plow Creek Mennonite Fellowship for many years. Other church homes included Champaign Church of the Brethren, First Mennonite Church (Champaign), and Roanoke Mennonite Church.

Conrad worked over the years as a Mennonite minister and as a psychologist. Employers included Chicago State Hospital, Quad County Counseling Center (Princeton, Illinois), and Zeller Zone Center (Peoria).

He loved family sing-a-longs, hymn-sings, and shape-note singing. He played piano for many family gatherings and church services, and during the folk music revival he became a fan of Pete Seeger and taught himself to play the banjo. He and Martyne enjoyed singing in choruses together, such as the Chicago Symphony Chorus while they lived in Evanston, and the University of Illinois Oratorio Society while they lived in Champaign in retirement years.

Conrad never lost his enthusiasm for the birds, trees, and wildflowers that he loved while growing up in the timber, rolling hills and prairie of western Illinois. For many years he enjoyed participating in the bird counts conducted by the Audubon Society, and he was also an avid gardener and stargazer.

Seven siblings preceded Conrad in death: Burdette Wetzel, Harriet Cordell, Doris Vance, Andrew Wetzel, Lillian Webb, Dick Wetzel, and Glenna Purdy.

Surviving are three sons: Bruce Wetzel (Sandy), in Lenexa, Kansas; Carson Wetzel, in Chicago; Allen Wetzel (Rickie Lee), in Delavan, Wisconsin; granddaughters Holly Wetzel and Jill Wetzel; six siblings: Eldon Wetzel (Joy), Jack Wetzel, Jean Wetzel, Luanne Steiner (Gary), Karen Dean, and Joe Wetzel (Cindy).

A memorial service and meal will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, November 11, 2017, at the Argyle Bible Church, 5135 N 1250th Road, Colchester, IL 62326.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Conrad L. Wetzel may be directed to an organization for which he enjoyed volunteering: Mennonite Disaster Service, 583 Airport Rd, Lititz, PA 17543.