Carl John Wenzler

Carl J. Wenzler, 91, passed away peacefully in Columbus, Ohio on May 3, 2026. Originally from the greater Cleveland area, Carl was a deeply devoted family man, a brilliant physicist, and a talented musician.

He was the cherished son of the late Carl and Marian Wenzler; the beloved brother of Rita (George) O'Donnell, Robert (Darlene) Wenzler, and the late Richard Wenzler; and a loving uncle to Dan, Mike, and Jim O'Donnell, Rob, Greg, Amy, and Bill Wenzler, and the late Matthew Wenzler.

Carl’s greatest pride was his family. He was the devoted father of Annie Burt (Brady) and Tom Wenzler, and the incredibly proud grandfather of Olivia and Anabelle Burt, and Lily and Mackenzie Wenzler.

A proud graduate of St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University, Carl earned his degree in physics and dedicated his career to NASA. As a physicist, he contributed to the historic Apollo moon missions. Later in his career, he designed complex experiments for the Space Shuttle program, directly guiding the astronauts on how to carry them out while they were in flight. Though he received numerous awards for excellence throughout his career, he was a deeply humble man who never boasted of his remarkable accomplishments.

Beyond his career, Carl was an accomplished classical pianist who inspired family and friends by playing complex pieces entirely from memory. He was an excellent cook, tended to a large garden, and loved fishing and hunting alongside his dog. A passionate sports fan, he cheered for all the Cleveland hometown teams and stayed active by playing baseball, golfing, and bowling in NASA leagues.

Carl was a faithful member of St. Peter Catholic Parish in North Ridgeville. His warmth, humility, and dedication to his loved ones will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Brendan Church, 4242 Brendan Lane, North Olmsted, on Friday, June 12 at 10:00 a.m.