Lawrence R. “Larry” WENZ, age 68. Passed away on March 23, 2021 after an 11 year battle with cancer. Husband of 48 years to Sue (nee Edwards); father of Nicole (Rob) Berardi and Tim (Michelle); grandpa to Robbie, Maddie, Austyn, Avery & Kingsley; son of the late Francis and Evelyn (nee Kreshak); brother of Fr. Bob and Chris (Flo); brother-in-law and uncle to many.
Larry spent 33 years proudly serving Strongsville as a Firefighter/EMT. A dedicated and hard worker, he wasn’t good at sitting still unless it was eating a donut or reading a Sci-Fi book.
He enjoyed vacations – local adventures, Hawaii, cruises and Disney – and especially the annual family trip to Maumee Bay.
Private mass will be held. A celebration of life is planned for July 31 – when the weather is warmer since he hated the cold. We want to be able to hug, share a donut & a beer, listen to Queen & Black Sabbath and talk with every one of his family and friends.
If you’d like to join us, please contact Nicole (nicoleb12@att.net /440.567.7306) so we can share details once they are finalized.
Messages of Condolence
Susan and Larry are our very dear friends and we are heartbroken that Larry lost his battle. He was my Guardian Angel at a time when I needed one the most. I will miss him terribly. The world was a much better place with him in it.
All my love to Susan and to the kids and grandkids.
Sherry
A heart felt loss for the “neighborhood ambassador” who welcomed Lucy & I to the neighborhood when we bought our first home on Pomona 35+ yrs ago. You will be truly missed.
Sue, Nicole, Tim and the rest of the extended Wenz family, I will truly miss Larry as I spent 5 consecutive years working with him and Matt Tilbert at Station 1. Those are still considered my favorite 5 years at the department. Larry was like a mentor for me as I was a young firefighter learning the trade. His constant relentless passion for the job encouraged me to keep pushing forward and perfecting my skills. I wish you all the love, faith, and resolve to get through this difficult time. I will celebrate Larry’s life and the time I was able to spend with him. You will forever be in my thoughts and prayers.
John
Brought tears to my eyes to read this spot on message! Praying for peace and comfort for all of you.
My best years in the Fire Service was spent with Larry. Larry taught me much of the job and the way that I continued to do it after he retired. I’m glad that I was able to have lived in the fire house with Larry for a large portion of my career. I will miss him very much. I’m glad the last time that we talked I had an opportunity to tell him how much he had taught me and how much I respected the life he lived. He was a great man in every way. Hope to see everyone on July 31st.
To the Wenz family I would like to express my deepest condolences to all of you. I had a chance not only to work with Larry on the SFD but also secondary with Life Safety Enterprises. I have had many laughs and good memories while working with Larry @ both jobs and wanted to let you know how valuable Larry was to the SFD. Larry would always talk about his family to me and how proud he was of his children and his Love for all of you (Sue). One of my favorite memories was flushing Hydrants with Larry on Bryn Mawr and Tim racing by with his car with a full head of either blue or purple colored hair harassing his Dad. Just one of many memories. Larry was truly one of a kind and will be missed. All of you will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Larry and I met in the first grade at St. Charles, and we remained devoted classmates until we graduated from the eighth grade. He and Sue were a pivotal pair in our Padua/Nazareth group, which had to be the most fun, loving, and supportive high school set one could ever imagine. We all remained close despite my frequent moves over the years, and as I told Larry and his family, he has been my personal hero for much of my adult life. He was a stellar firefighter and EMT, as well as an outstanding family man in every way. His kindness, wry sense of humor, and common sense approach to life have inspired me more than any friend I have ever had. I am forever grateful for his place in my journey and I am heartbroken by his loss. He faced his illness with matchless courage and poise, humbling me by his willingness to include me over the long course of his fight cancer. I am privileged to have been his friend, and my heart goes out to Sue, Nicole, Tim, and all the grandchildren, as well as to his brothers, his fellow firefighters, and the rest of his family and friends.
My sincere condolence on the passing of Larry. Working with Larry at the SFD was a pleasure. He was a great fireman whom I had the fortune to learn from. His dedication in helping people was a great example to follow. Larry’s attitude at the SFD was upbeat and his comments were intelligent with humor. I missed his presence at the SFD upon his retirement. Larry Wenz has positively touched many lives. Rest in peace brother Fireman.
Sincerely,
Mark Biley
To Larry’s family. I send my Deepest Condolences to All of You. Haven’t seen Larry since Graduation, but All My Classmates are in my Thoughts and Prayers. God Bless