Albert H. Wessel, 84, of rural Seneca, Kansas, died Sunday, April 15, 2001, at the Nemaha Valley Hospital in Seneca. He had been in ill health since July of 2000.

He was born April 8, 1917, on the Wessel family homestead southwest of Kelly, the son of Frank and Elizabeth Macke Wessel. He attended St. Bede’s School in Kelly and helped on the family farm. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from May 1942 to May 1945. Albert was in the infantry and stationed in Newfoundland. After his discharge, he returned to Kelly.

On February 22, 1945, three months before he was discharged from the Army, he married Lucille Kramer at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Seneca. She survives of the home.

They lived and farmed northeast of Kelly for 56 years. He also worked for the Nemaha County Co-Op at the Corning elevator for several years, operated a road maintainer for Nemaha County for 28 years and for Adams Township for several years, and drove a school bus besides working for Wassenberg Construction Co. during building projects on Seneca’s Main Street.

Albert was a member of St. Bede’s Church in Kelly and the St. Joseph Society at the church, where he served on the church council and helped to build the parish house.

He was a member of the Earle W. Taylor Post #21 of the American Legion in Seneca, and served on the Adams Township Board.

Survivors besides his wife Lucille are a son, Frank Wessel of Axtell; three daughters, Rose Wilhelm of Seneca, Alice Hards of Oneida, and Rita Pfannenstiel of Silver Lake; two brothers, Andrew Wessel of Seneca and George Wessel of Corning; a sister, Rita Stuke of Seneca; 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen Curtis on September 4, 1996; two brothers, Francis Wessel on March 28, 2000, and Henry Wessel on December 18, 1995; and a sister, Mary Korte on June 9, 2000.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday at 10:30 AM at St. Bede’s Church in Kelly. Burial will be with full military honors in the church cemetery. Rosaries will be prayed at 2 & 7 PM Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for St. Bede’s Cemetery, and sent in care of the family.