Obituary of Werner Jose Maria WENZEL

February 16, 1934 – Guatemala City, Guatemala
June 3, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Entrepreneur, husband, traveler, mentor and friend, Werner Wenzel, 86, passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 in Calgary.  His journey was long, wide and colourful. 

Born in Guatemala where his father ran a coffee plantation, he was deported back to Germany with his mother and siblings during the Second World War and his father taken to a Texas POW camp. Then as a ten year old, he fled eastern Germany from the approaching Russians with his family in a wagon train of refugees, capturing sparrows on the way to throw in the soup.  All this shaped an energetic, resourceful, honest, loyal, optimistic, gregarious and charming man.

After reading numerous cowboy books as a child, he was drawn to the wild west. Werner set out for Calgary in 1954 with a single suitcase, sense of adventure and $48.50, arriving right in the midst of  the Stampede Parade. He thought he was in heaven.

A global thinker and ardent student of history, Werner relished exploring new countries, and was happiest when working on a grand new business venture.   He started his career with Imperial Oil in the Calgary research lab.  To the surprise of his colleagues, he left this secure job after ten years to strike out into the sulphur import/export business.

He served Albertans as Assistant Deputy Minister of Industry Trade & Commerce in the Lougheed government, where he led numerous global trade missions.  He was especially proud of the successful economic revitalization programs he helped implement in rural Alberta communities in the 1970’s.

Returning to his entrepreneurial roots, he pioneered the introduction of new technologies in sulphur processing and oil and gas exploration.  He cofounded Lahrmann Construction, and is a past chair of the Alberta Roadbuilders Association.   As one of the first western oilman in Kazakhstan after its independence from the USSR, he worked with Hurricane Hydrocarbons to develop what later became PetroKazakhstan, a major integrated oil company.  This created employment and directly funded new schools and clinics in impoverished regions of the Kazakh steppe lands. 

He expressed his passion for motorsports, cars and adventure by completing the grueling Vancouver - Montreal Shell 4000 mile car rally three times in the mid-sixties finishing as high as tenth place competing against European factory sponsored teams.  Werner also won the 1963 Prairie Region Rally Championship.  A licensed guide, he was still hunting and filling the freezer with venison well into his 80’s.

His eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren brought him great pride and joy.  He and wife Johanna travelled extensively, with especially fond memories of taking teen grandsons Erik and Spencer on a tour of Germany.

Besides his loving wife, Johanna, of sixty-three years, Werner is survived by his brother Wilfried in BC, sister Hertha James in New Zealand, sons, Derek (Nikki), Alex (Debra) and Rolf (Colleen) and their families.

Werner was predeceased by sister Helgard and brother Wolfgang.

Our family would like to thank the medical staff of the Rockyview General Hospital and Foothills Medical Centre for the unbelievable care, kindness and competence they offered over the past months.  

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Bracelets for Buildings, a Canadian charity Werner supported that provides much needed employment and housing to Cambodians, currently being ravaged by the disappearance of their critical tourist industry.  https://www.bracelets4buildings.com/.

A celebration of life will be held after international travel restrictions are relaxed. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Werner’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

In living memory of Werner Wenzel, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis and Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W., Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.