James “Jim” Wenzlaff, 67, of Austin, Texas, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2021 after a battle with congestive heart failure. Jim was born May 3, 1954, in Wenona, Illinois. After graduating from Wenona High School in 1972, he went on to have a lifelong career in the tech industry. He attended United Electronics Institute in De Moines, Iowa, before joining IBM, which ultimately led to a move to Texas. Jim retired from IBM after thirty-three years in 2006 and continued his career at Texas Department of Public Safety and Teacher Retirement System, retiring for a second time in 2019.
Jim will be remembered as a quiet man who had a wry sense of humor and a willingness to help those in need. He took any opportunity he could to spend time with his grandsons, whether it was swimming in the pool, going out for Saturday breakfast together, and more recently, doing virtual Vacation Bible School. Outside of work, he had a passion for cars (especially his Corvettes), and he enjoyed sharing that passion with his grandsons while watching races at COTA. He recently rediscovered the excitement of ham radios and appreciated the opportunity to communicate with people from around the world. One of his greatest joys, though, was hosting pool parties at his house, where he welcomed anyone and everyone. He cherished spending his summers by the pool and valued the time with family and friends.
Most importantly, Jim would want to be remembered as a devout Christian who took comfort in his faith throughout his life. He rejoiced at the knowledge that he would soon be in Heaven, and always reminded his grandsons to trust in Jesus.
Jim is survived by his two daughters Melissa (Chris Barksdale) and Emily, whom he shared with his former wife, Karen, and three grandsons, Wyatt, Weston, and Walker. He is preceded in death by his father, Walter, his mother, Freida, and his beloved dog Max.
Jim’s memorial service will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin at 1:00 on Saturday, August 7. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Hospice Austin or your local animal shelter.
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