Dr. Stanley LeRoy Wendt Jr.

Stanley LeRoy Wendt Jr (Stan) died suddenly and with no apparent pain and was greeted immediately by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, May 17, 2026. For anyone who knew Stan in his later years, he was a strong witness to Jesus. If anyone knocked on the door or stopped him to visit or to say, “How are you?” his immediate response was, “Better than yesterday and not as good as tomorrow—one day closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Do you know Him?” And there would begin a long conversation.

Stan was born on May 5, 1949, in Jackson, Mississippi, to Stanley L. Wendt and Melna Ottie Nickell. At the age of 2, his family moved to Houston, Texas, and lived in the Westbury/Bellaire area.

Stan obtained his BSA degree from Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, in May 1971; his DDS from the University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School in Houston, Texas, in June 1975; his Masters in Dental Materials at the University of Alabama Birmingham Dental School in August 1988; and he did further material research on a PhD program at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Stan met Dianne Brown Wendt at the UT Houston dental school on October 1, 1971. Dianne worked at the school, and Stan was in his first year. From that day, theirs was a story of love and togetherness. They married in Houston, Texas, on June 9, 1973.

Stan joined the U.S. Air Force in September 1977 and was assigned as a dentist to Howard AFB, Panama Canal Zone, and Hahn AFB, Hahn, Germany. He served active duty for 5 years. After leaving the Air Force, Stan taught in various dental schools and conducted dental material research in Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, and Connecticut. While in Tennessee, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve as a dentist and served for 11 years.

Stan and Dianne returned to Texas in September 1995, where he bought a dental practice in Dallas. They lived in Plano. After selling that practice, he treated patients in practices where the dentist was challenged with end-of-life issues. They later moved to San Antonio, where he bought a dental practice from another dentist who was challenged with end-of-life issues. While in San Antonio, he conducted further dental materials research part-time at UT Dental San Antonio. After selling the practice in San Antonio, they moved to retirement life in Frisco Lakes, Frisco, Texas, in June 2020 and resumed their membership attendance at Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas.

Stan is survived by Dianne; one brother, David L Wendt; two beloved stepsisters, Kris Richardson and Dianne Lefler; sister-in-law Lindy Swinney (Rick); brother-in-laws Tommy Brown (Rita) and Rusty Brown (Betty), and numerous loved nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at Prestonwood Baptist Church (in the Faith Chapel) on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, located at 6801 W Park Blvd, Plano, Texas, 75093; phone 972-820-5000

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite organization.