Charles "Eric" Wentzel

Eric is survived by his wife, Jennifer Wentzel, his daughters: Hannah, Charlie, and Claire Wentzel; parents: Philip Jr. and Virginia Wentzel; brothers Steven and Benjamin Wentzel; his sister Stacy (Jason) Barnhouse; numerous nieces and nephews; lifelong friends: Mike, Larry, Brian, Tony, Kevin, Sarah, and Brittney; and his dogs: Cane, Tori, and Sandy.

Eric was a Cambridge High School graduate of 1994 and then went on to swim for Wright State University, where he received his Bachelor’s degree of Humanities and Business.

Above all else, Eric loved his daughters deeply and took immense pride in being a girl dad. He cherished every moment spent with them and found his greatest joy in watching them grow. His love, support, and devotion to his girls will forever be remembered.

Eric has been with the Greater Dayton YMCA Association for over 26 years, where most of his career was spent as a swim coach. Eric has been the Swim Team Director for the YMCA South Branch, in Kettering, since 2006. He has coached YMCA national champions, and multiple USA National and Junior National qualifiers. He served on the Executive Committee of the Southwest Ohio YMCA Swim League as well as the Time Standards Subcommittee chair. Eric is also a member of the National YMCA Coaches Association Executive Committee.

Since 2010, Eric has been the head swim coach for Alter High School. While in this position, he attained many accolades including: 6-time Women’s Greater Catholic League (GCL) Champion, 3-time GCL coach of the year, Ohio High School State Women’s Coach of the Year 2024, Southwest Ohio District Coach of the Year. Eric’s legacy in the world of swimming will be felt by the numerous athletes whose lives he impacted.

A visitation for Eric will be held at Tobias Funeral Home, 5471 Far Hills Ave, Dayton, OH 45429, US, on May 31, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and again on June 1, 2026, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, with a funeral service to follow at 12:00 PM. The burial will follow the service on June 1, 2026, at David's Cemetery, 4600 Mad River Rd, Dayton, OH 45429, US.

For those unable to attend the funeral service, the family invites you to join via livestream at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c26059378754339

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Eric's name to the following funds.

South YMCA Annual Giving Campaign: Support YMCA scholarships and programs that provide swim lessons, youth sports, childcare, and wellness opportunities for families in need. https://bit.ly/3LRAFtb

Eric Wentzel Swimming Fund #10319: Support future swimmers through the Eric Wentzel Swimming Fund. This fund will help provide scholarship assistance for swimmers pursuing their goals. https://bit.ly/EricWentzelSwimmingFund

Envelopes for donations will be available at the funeral home.