I graduated from McCluer Senior High School in 1977. I took Mr. Wetzel's class "Search for Awareness" in my senior year. His class changed my life. I am forever grateful to the man who taught me that I was a loveable, capable human. I'll never forget one of the things he said in class. He said,  "What if  you were right and the whole world was wrong?" It just taught me that there are different ways of looking at life. I wish I could have told him how important his class was to me. 

Dear Mr Wetzel,
I am distressed that since finding you online last year, I never called to tell you all the things you did to change my life, and I really wanted you to know in person.  Now I'll never know if you would have remembered me and the many morning talks we had when my bus came early and you made me think about life in a way that even a good parent could not because of the talent you had.
I still have my Loveable Capable poster you had us make and the journal you had us keep which taught us how to have some amazing insight into people.  I adored you then, and now I have to live with missing you.  Your face is the one I see if someone says the phrase "great teacher".  I successfully raised a daughter with the concept of Loveable Capable always in the back of my mind.  Thank you so much for the guidance that helped me find a terrific life path.   I love you forever.

Ingrid Ektermanis, McCluer High School, 1975

I absolutely loved Mr.Wetzel! His "Search for Awareness" class taught me so much! He used to tell me "Terra, this school is full of people who look alike, sound alike and think alike...like sheep. But you are different, you're your own person, following your own path. Don't let anyone take that from you!" I've remembered those words throughout my life and I'll never forget his concern, his love for all students and his unique way of explaining things. R.I.P. Mr.Wetzel!!

What an amazing man, mentor and teacher. He is the single most remembered teacher from high school. He is still spoke of with praise None of use knew the greatest we were in the presence of. His message was love and acceptance and taught us how to be ok with who we were.❤️

So sorry to hear of the passing of such a brilliant mind...he was one of my top 3, all time favorite teachers,  during my school days...Prayers for his family.

Mr. Wetzel was a big part of my childhood. I remember him at westbury swim and dive meets, sharing his trampoline with the neighborhood, not telling my parents after finding Amy and I smoking, taking us on his sailboat and on float trips. He was a wonderful man and we will miss him. He is resting in the loving arms of Jesus and will be an angel watching over all of his many loved ones and friends. 

I met Jim Wetzel 31 years ago when I became friends with his daughter, Anne! My entire family feel very blessed for that!  Just to name a few of so many memories of him we are so grateful for are........Our daughters still talk about the times when they were little, and he would just randomly leave a box of Dunkin Donut munchkins at our kitchen door! My husband learned to love the game of golf because of him!  And I, being coupon crazy myself, will always remember his permanent smile that would just light up your day! This warm and endearing smile of his most definitely lives on in each of his kids and grandkids! What a beautiful legacy to leave behind! Jim Wetzel truly was one of the kindest men I have ever met!!!!! Our deepest sympathy and much love to the entire family❤️ Kathy Chronister

Jim Wetzel was a great guy and a good neighbor.  My parents, Bob and Vera Meyer, and myself lived across the street from the Wetzel's  in the late 1960's.  Jim and my father became good friends and played golf together.

My sincere condolences to his wife Barbara and family members.  A life well lived!

Sincerely,

Kathleen L Meyer

Mr. Wetzel had an outsized impact on many young people's lives. Thank you Mr. Wetzel.

Coolest teacher ever, definitely part of who I turned out to be, used to go to McClure and visit him after I graduated.

Mr.Wetzel , i  respectfully called him , taught me more about myself than i ever knew . At 16 your as confused as the next kid. He never told me anything. He would put information out there so you could figure it out for yourself.  Over the years my friends and i would bring up his name and everyone would say : i loved that guy.!

There are no words that descibe how Awesome he was & still is to all who knew him. He was an awesome teacher one of the best. His awareness class taught me alot. He will always be loved & missed by all who knew him. RIP MR WETZEL!! Until we met again. Lots of Prayers & Good thoughts for his entire Family & for all who knew this Awesome Man! 

Mr. Wetzel was the man who taught me how to play golf - a feat he and I often joked cost me a lot of money, and all of my self esteem!  I will never forget his tireless patience and humor as we hit ball after ball. He played  an important part in my life and I will never forget him. Thank you Jim, and I look forward to our next round. 

Mr Wetzel I can truly say out of all my teachers in school, let the most impact. I looked forward to going to his class everyday and listening to his stories or sharing his life experiences! Because of him I can say I am the woman I am today, he was a confidant and and dear friend to all who met him. James Wetzel will definitely be missed and forever Remembered!! 

Mr. James Wetzel still have had a profound impact in my life when I joined his class, " Search for Awareness." He ignited a quest of a lifelong internal insight for self-awareness for myself ... I can't speak to the many students he has taught, but I could see and feel the wonderful positive and loveable impact he left behind. He not just touch my heart to keep searching and inquring, but he has stirred so many to be caring and loveable. Thank you so much. I have been so appreciative and honored to have met you.

this wonderful brought out my love for history. he has, and will always remain, one of the finest teachers and people I have ever met in my life. if it wasn't for him, even at the age of 50, I would not watch politics, study history in all its forms, and have a deep faith in doing what is right by all people, regardless of race, color, creed, preference and orientation. Thank You Sir. Rest Well With God. 

Me. Wetzel was a good man with a kind soul. The class Search for Awarness was my favorite class in school. 
I ran into him a couple of years after graduating at a car lot, buying his daughter a car, forgive me for not remembering her name but, I remember it was a beautiful 78 or 79 Thunderbird. Mr  Wetzel was pretty excited and repeatedly saying how beautiful the car was. Unfortunately I never seen him again after that day at the car lot. 
God bless the family. Heaven gained a good man.

Mr Wetzel was my Search for Awareness teacher in  my senior year. Circa 1976. I’ve never forgotten him. It was a very tumultuous time in my life and his kindness and continuous smile will always be remembered. RIP Mr Wetzel! ❤️

Mr Wetzel was one of my favorite teachers. I took his class two years in a row. He made a big impact on me, and helped me do a lot of self reflection. The thing I remember him saying the most was  “What makes you think people think?” I have thought of him often over the years. What a great man and inspiration. Diane Saffley Hines

Mr.  Wetzel was a wonderful teacher.  My condolences to his family.

My World History Class at McCluer HS was memorable with the historical novels requirement.  Mr Wetzel made the class enjoyable, allowing us to think clearly, develop and present the information for the whole class.  He actually was my inspiration to become a teacher and be involved in my community.

A great memory is when he invited my foreign-exchange brother, Omar (from Morocco) and I to his home with our dates for Halloween.  His family was fun and excited for the Trick-or-Treating, while we helped with the handing out of the candy.
He always had a positive greeting in the school halls.

My condolences to Coach's family and all of his many students / friends.   Bill Dooley, Class of '71

He was an awesome teacher always caring and kind ! He was wonderful blessed man

Strange that just last week I was telling my husband about our class “Search for Awareness” I took in the early 80’s.   There was a particular movie we watched that impacted me; I heard rumors the school was going to disband the class, hopefully that didn’t happen.   Know that he was the one teacher all students loved & actually wanted to attend his class!

My condolences to your family.

Yesterday I was asked who my favorite teacher in high school was and what did you learn from them.
 I said Mr. Wetzel because he taught me how to think critically and he valued my voice in his Search for Awareness class.  I loved how he always responded to our journals by the next class—we mattered to him. 
I now teach high school and strive to understand each student’s story and give it value. 
Thanks for your impact on my life, Mr. Wetzel. 


I remember Coach spending time listening to me about my "many" teenage problems (at least in high school they seemed many)
He would write me passes so I could spend time in the Library.  A wonderful teacher!

So very sorry to hear of his passing.  His sociology class was the one class I looked forward to.  Praying God's peace and comfort over his family. 
Class of '77

Our loss is heaven’s gain!  Mr. Wetzel was, without a doubt, the teacher that left the biggest impact on my life.  He taught me at McCluer, but he has also taught me for the past 40 years!  I kept in touch with him with my simple annual Christmas letter, but he would ALWAYS write me back a personal note of encouragement in return.  I have saved every note that I took in Social Awareness, and I have saved every letter he ever wrote me to encourage me throughout the years.  What a great man!  I will miss his encouragement, but I will never forget him and the impact he made on my life!  I always felt love from him, and felt capable because of him.  I am so sorry to hear this sad news, and will keep his dear wife and family in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.  God bless you all.  Sincerely, Pam and Ed Wallace, Douglasville, GA.

I adored Mr. Wetzel.  I had him for History (which he made so much fun and I really learned a lot) and Search for Awareness.  He will truly be missed.  My thoughts and prayers are with his family in this time of grief.  Memory Eternal!

I was in Mr. Wetzel's first "Search for Awareness" class in 1976. During the course, we had to write a paper, and I was struggling to find a subject related to the course. Mr. Wetzel noticed that I had a copy of Moby Dick with me, which I was reading for English. He suggested that I write a report on the book and the symbology that Melville was portraying.

I was going through a box of old papers a few months ago and found that paper.  I had forgotten many of the things that Mr. Wetzel had written in the notes when he graded the paper. But, the following is what I have always remembered. "Jim, you have taken a story about obsession, revenge, and self-destruction and have managed to find a story of redemption. Life is a bumpy road, remember even when things are the darkest; always look for something good in every situation." 

Thank you for making a difference, Mr. Wetzel!

Class of '77

Mr Wetzl was one of my Favorite Teachers,  I was lucky enough to have him for History & Sociology.  He showed me how to LOVE History! and I do to this Day.  In his  Sociology class  I learn so much! One of things he said and I remember it to this day.  I have quoted it often over the pass 46 years.... If you have five true Friends in your lifetime, consider yourself a Luck person.  Thank You Mr Wetzl,  I know you are a Very Lucky Man.   Thank you so much for being the wonderful Teacher that you were.   The World has loss a Great Man.  
  God Bless You and Your Family.   Cookie (Trtanj) Spatafora class of 72


Mr. Wetzel had a huge impact in my life,  he taught search for awareness and many life coping skills. He will be greatly missed. A greatly loved man.

I had Mr Wetzel for search for awareness.  He was one of my favorite teachers at Mccluer.  He always made you feel like you were somebody.  He always had a kind word to say and a smile on his face.  My deepest condolences  for his family,friends,and all who knew him.  Rest in Peace.

Mr Wetzel was one of my favorite teacher and I think of him all the time! He will be greatly missed! Prayers for his family during this time of loss! McCluer ‘80

I am so sad to hear that Mr. Wetzel has left us.   He taught me more then history but that it was okay to be myself no matter what others thought.  I also felt that I was loved and accepted from him when I was struggling to figure my life out.  I know his love and direction assisted me to be truthful to myself and pick my chosen career- education!!  A true saint has left this earth!  Always love you!

Mr. Wetzel was the best teacher! Search for Awareness started as an “easy A” but became so much more. I have carried his lessons with me through life and hope they have made me a better person. Blessings and condolences to his family. I will never forget him.

Mr Wetzel was my history teacher and baseball coach at McCluer High
Thank you sir for your teachings in many ways through your career may you rest In peace

So sad to hear this news😢 Mr Wetzel was my advisory teacher in the late 80's. What a wonderful teacher who was loved by all! Thoughts and prayers are being sent for the entire family. 

OBITUARY

James Meredith Wetzel

30 March, 1938 – 29 September, 2019

Kriegshauser Mortuary-West Chapel

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services