Wesley Zenger

Family will greet friends 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Wesley “Babe” Zenger, age 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at the Belleville Health Care Center after a short illness on Sunday, August 17 ^th , 2014.  He is survived by his wife Betty of the home; two sons: Steve and wife Micki, Haddam, Rex and wife Mitzi, Manhattan; one daughter, Kathi Stenfors and husband Bill, Manhattan; seven grandchildren: Josh Zenger and Heidi, Jared Zenger and Tahra, Jordan Zenger, Sara (Zenger) Johnson and Jay, Becky (Zenger) Johnson and Andy, Holly (Stenfors) Irvine and John, Jay Stenfors and Sarah; and fifteen great-grandchildren.  Babe is preceded in death by his parents Johannes Walter and Stella Smith Zenger, five brothers –Walter Jr., Wendell, Wade, Winfred, and Warren and one great -granddaughter. Babe, the fifth son of Johannes Walter and Stella (Smith) Zenger, was born near Haddam on April 29 ^th , 1930.  He attended grade school at Happy Hollow, and high school at Haddam and Agenda.  He graduated from Agenda in 1948.  He met the love of his life in grade school and married Betty Burt, June 1, 1950 at the Haddam Methodist Church. They had 64 blessed years together.  Besides Betty, Babe’s loves were his family, cattle, and dancing.  He proudly wore Kansas State caps he had made specifically to share that “ his” seven KSU grandchildren graduates were, in his words, clean polite kids. Babe belonged to the Lodges of the Masons, Elks, and Moose, and was a lifelong member of the Haddam United Methodist Church.  He was an innovative farmer/rancher and especially had a passion for his Black Angus cattle. Babe loved to dance! He and Betty enjoyed many dances with friends and family.  He still tried to polka at home and even thought the Belleville Health Care Center should have dances. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend; Babe will be missed by many. Funeral services will be held 3:00pm Thursday, August 21, 2014 at the United Methodist Church, Haddam, Kansas with Pastor Randy Jellison-Knock officiating. Burial will be in the Haddam City Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the church. Visitation will be Wednesday 1:00pm to 8:00pm with the family greeting friends and family from 6pm to 8pm at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas.