Terry Dale Wendell

Terry Dale Wendell I was born March 3, 1940, in Battlecreek, MI, to Carl Edward Wendell and Wilma Leone Wendell (Smith.) A military brat, he spent his childhood many places with his siblings, Carl “Sonny” Wendell Jr., Penny Lee Holcombe, Sue Wendell and bonus mom Dorothy “Dottie” Wendell. He was many things to many people: a husband, a father to six and bonus dad to three, grandad or “pops” to twenty, a great grandfather to seven, a brother to three, an uncle and mentor and friend to countless others. He passed peacefully in his home on July 13, 2023, surrounded by loved ones at 83 years old. His family often refers to him as “The Legend,” though most of what follows is confirmed to be true.

With shaky knees due to a forged ID, he joined the Marine Corps underage at 17, following in his father’s footsteps and hoping not to get caught. He served in the reserves before pursuing a career working with his hands, repairing cargo ships and running his own business. This afforded him the opportunity to coach his kid’s t-ball teams, pursue his hobbies, and live what seems like countless lives.

Never a people pleaser but always a jokester, his enigmatic spirit drew folks to him from all walks of life. He loved connecting with people, often turning strangers into buddies right away with his grand stories and tokens of wisdom. He always had time to “shoot the breeze” or pick up the phone to chat and give advice. Whatever the subject matter, he seemed to possess a wealth of knowledge and never missed an opportunity to slip witty quips into even the most serious of conversations.

While he had many passions along with being a dad, his greatest thrill in life was flying—building and working on planes was the second. A pilot for most of his days, he was self taught and amassed over 800,000 traveling miles; most often, his 1959 Cessna 180 was headed out west. He found joy in the red rocks of Colorado and Utah, in tiny landing strips nestled in the mountains and valleys of Idaho and Montana. Summers were spent camping with his family, hopping from airstrip to airstrip—or, at times, landing places never meant to be airstrips at all. Flights in his later years mostly consisted of swooping low over Dauphin Island, “waving” the wings of his plane to beach goers, sometimes with the doors of his plane removed. Always with a smile on his face.

He also had a love for sailing and motorcycles, cruising through canyons on his Sturgis model Harley past herds of wild buffalo and taking his sailboat out with his kids. No matter what hobby he was focused on at the time, he put everything into it. Always knowledgeable about his craft, always learning more, always tinkering.

When he wasn’t on the go, you could find him in the kitchen stirring up a big pot of gumbo, or down at the airport simply stirring the pot.

He is survived by his wife, Debbie Wendell, his step-mom, Dottie Wendell and big brother Sonny, his children, Missy Carter (Paul Carter), Terry Dale Wendell II (Angela Wendell), J. Scott Wendell, Jayson Wendell (Ashlee Wendell), Jordan Wendell (Hillary Trainor), and Dana Wendell, and bonus children Ronald “Bo” Miller (Teri Miller), Rachel McGriff, and Andrew Miller. Grandchildren Jami Carter Brannon and Jeffrey Carter, Haley Gavlick, Kaitlyn, Tori, and Terry “Trey” Wendell III, Lauren and Abby Pate, Cami Smith, Ray Nelson, Rebecca Kirkland, Brooke and Bodie Wendell, Cameron Wendell, Raleigh Wendell, Sam, Claire, and Cate McGriff, and Bailiey Miller Neeley. Great-grandchildren Cambria, Nash, Grace, Michael, Noah, Cailieb, and Olivia. He also leaves behind a devoted and loving chihuahua, Taco, who expanded his heart and his worldview one kiss at a time.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 18, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Pine Crest Funeral Home, 1939 DAUPHIN ISLAND PKWY, MOBILE, AL. Family are welcome to arrive at 4:30 pm.

There are countless more tales to tell of his life: landing in Lajitas, TX where he met a beer drinking goat; scaring the wits out of his kids with stories of “cat man,” a boogeyman of his own making who would surely snatch you away if given the chance; flying his plane underneath the Dauphin Island Bridge; standing up to “surf” on his Kawasaki 900 in flip flops and shorts (and tumbling from it.) A celebration of life will be held in August—details will follow as the event takes shape. We hope to gather and share more of his stories with you then.