William Woodworth Wenisch

William Woodworth Wenisch was born on March 31, 1924in East Hartford, CT to parents Frank Charles Wenisch and Rita Woodworth Day Wenisch; he died May 7, 2002 at the age of 78 with his wife and daughter Kelli at his side. William spent his childhood in Rochester, New York and East Hartford, Connecticut. His teenage years were spent in the Bronx, New York until age 17 when he joined the Navy on July 10, 1941. He served in the Navy for 12 years. His first assignments were on the USS Wyoming battleship and the USS Winooski oil tanker during World War II. On October 24, 1942, the ship rendezvoused with Task Force 34. On November 11 at 2200 hrs., "a torpedo struck the Winooski, punching a 40 X 48 foot hole in her number 6 tank." The ship spent a three-month repair period in Casablanca. He was assigned to the USS Clarence K. Bronson in 1943 and it was involved in the signing of the surrender of the Japanese on September 2, 1945. Eastman Kodak Company employed William before being recalled for service in the Korean War on the USS Fred T. Berry. He returned to Eastman Kodak Company, completing 11 years with that company. Fox Photo Company of San Antonio and St. Louis employed him for 23 years. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Helen; daughters, Kelli Hughes Dennis, Randi Billingham John; grandchildren, Taylor, Reagan and Jacob Hughes and Christopher Wenisch; sister, Beatrice Kasper of East Hartford, CT; sisters-in-law, Elaine Y. Stengel Joseph of Bethesda, MD and Norene S. Yount of Rochester, NY; nephews, William Kasper of East Hartford, CT, Eugene and Terrance Yount, both of Rochester, NY; and niece, Patricia Herbst Gary. To our loving husband, father, and grandfather, we love you and will miss you.