Nancy Elaine Benedict joined our heavenly father, and was reunited with her loved ones in heaven, on May 18th, 2020. She passed peacefully, free of fear and pain, filled with the love of her daughter who sat by her side.
Nancy was born in Frankfurt, Germany to Horst “Ed” Wenzel and Toni Wenzel, and traveled between the United States and Germany throughout her childhood. Eventually, her family settled at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. where she attended high school, and grew into the woman we all know and love. Most importantly, it is in Killeen where she met her husband, Doug Benedict Jr.
Since they were teenagers, Doug was drawn to Nancy’s beauty, crystal blue eyes, golden blond hair, sweet smell, and “killer legs.” Finally, on March 18th, 1980, Doug Benedict married Nancy Wenzel in a simple ceremony at Harker Heights Court House. However, their love was anything but simple. They had a storybook love, and a passion for each other that helped them conquer the world together.
Ultimately, Nancy and Doug moved out of their small town to live in Dallas, where Nancy attended Collin County Community College and earned her license to become a daycare director. As a result of her hard work and dedication, Nancy worked as the director at multiple childhood learning facilities across the Dallas Metroplex, including North Lake Creative Learning Center. After retiring from a career helping children, Nancy used her talents in booking, banking, and oversight to manage the family business, Heritage Maintenance and Construction. She remained loyal to her family company till the end.
On November 3, 1981, Nancy gave birth to her only child, her daughter Candice Marie. Her and her husband raised their beautiful family across Dallas, creating memories by spending their summers in their boat on the lake, driving around in her yellow Volvo blaring Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, and playing with their dog Pierre. Nancy was immensely proud of her daughter, and adored being a mother to Candice. Nancy taught Candice how to see the beauty she saw in life, and was always there to make her daughter’s worries disappear. Eventually that beauty and love turned into the love she had for her three grandchildren. She spent her later years making new memories playing with those grandchildren in her backyard pool, and raising her dogs Sam, Coal and Simon.
Nobody loved life more than Nancy, and nobody lived it harder. Nancy loved life with a full heart – seeing the beauty in everyone and everything. She loved flowy dresses and shiny jewelry. She loved scented candles and romance novels. She loved food, bars, beer, and a great party. She loved her fun and freedom, a good song, and dancing. But, mostly, she loved her best friend, lifetime partner, and soulmate, Doug Benedict Jr. They lived easy, but loved hard. As Doug always said, “it’s me and you against the world, baby,” and it was. Nancy and Doug spent their remaining years together, dancing in the dark in Garland, Texas.
Nancy is predeceased by her husband Doug Benedict Jr., as well as her nephew Ricky Benedict Jr. who she raised and loved like a son. She is survived by her daughter Candice Insalaco and her husband Todd Insalaco Sr. and her grandchildren Todd Jr., Natalie, and Elizabeth; her parents Ed Wenzel and Toni Wenzel; her siblings Linda Nunn and her husband Gerald Nunn, as well as her brother Ronny Wenzel and his wife Jessica, and her nephews Beau Nunn, and Christian, Noah, and Connor Wenzel.
Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Plano, Texas has charge of arrangements.
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