Michele Elizabeth Wenzel

Michele Elizabeth Considine Wenzel was born in Brooklyn (Queens), New York on February 19, 1947 to Joseph William Considine Sr. and Veronica Agnes Seinsoth Considine. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Joseph “Joe” W. Considine Jr. (Sue), and her in-laws Robert G. Wenzel Sr. and Mary Veronica Miller Wenzel. She was also preceded in death by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Keith and Peggy Wenzel. Michele, affectionately known as “Shelly”, passed away on October 20, 2024 surrounded by her loving family.

Shelly is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 60 years, Robert “Bob” G. Wenzel Jr. The couple resided in Palmetto, Florida. Married on April 24, 1965, they spent over 61 years together and truly enjoyed their lives; a life filled with family, friends, fun, faith, traveling, and adventures. 

Shelly and Bob celebrated their 25th anniversary with a big reception at their church. For their 50th wedding anniversary the devoted couple renewed their vows during a family cruise; complete with a wedding reception, matching monogrammed logo’d shirts for all in attendance, and a beautiful photo accompanying a special write-up in their local newspaper.

Shelly is also survived by her 3 children, in which her legacy lives on; her eldest child/daughter Dienne “DN” Wenzel, middle child/daughter Dana M. Della Costa (Allison), and youngest child/son Robert “Rob” Wenzel III (Lisa). She was a proud grandmother to 8 grandchildren: DN’s daughter, Tenley Wenzel; Dana and Allison’s children, daughter Michele D. Della Costa (Arthur), son John Michael Della Costa III (Vicki), and daughter Megan Self (Joshua); and Rob and Lisa’s sons, Ian Wenzel (Grace), Michael Wenzel, David Barrett, and William Barrett. Shelly cherished her 3 great-grandchildren: Michele’s daughter, Aurora M. Della Costa, and Ian and Grace’s daughters, Lana Grace Wenzel and Sawyer Wenzel.

Further, Shelly is survived by her 3 nephews: Joseph “Joey” W. Considine III, Brian Wenzel (Denise and daughter Mia), and Chris Wenzel (Julie and children, Peyton, Ryan, and Leilani). Shelly had 5 Godchildren: Lisa Vanderberry, Angela Vanderberry, Chris Wenzel, Joey Considine, and Jordan Whitaker. She was also the Confirmation Sponsor for her niece, Erica Schaab. Her dear cousin Crista Schaab, whom she considered a sister, and the Schaab, English, Considine, Seinsoth, Morgan, and Wenzel/Davis/Lowman families were integral parts of her life, woven into every decade of her life’s story. Shelly treasured her countless cousins, nieces, and nephews, and cherished her dear friends.

Shelly had several attributes that added happiness to her identity. She had a deep love for her family and friends, a steadfast faith, a long career in nursing, and was a long-time member of Beta Sigma Phi. After raising her children, she and Bob traveled extensively. There were road trips (never a radio on because they enjoyed talking to each other so much) and cruises all over the world. There were many amazingly detailed stories of their world travels, as they loved to share their stories, pictures, and videos from their vacations. As a matter of fact, the last thing that this loving couple did was take a cruise together, just the two of them. Every night ended with Bob giving Shelly a foot rub and a kiss goodnight. 

Shelly and Bob attended Mass every Sunday and prayed daily. They were extremely proud of putting their 3 children through St. Joseph Catholic School, and providing a strong faith-base for their growing family. Shelly was immensely proud of being a member of the first graduating class of Clearwater Central Catholic High School (CCC, 1964); where she made many lifelong friends like Janet English, Kathy Barber Herndon, and Erin Peachin. While growing up in Clearwater, the Parker family was also an important part of Shelly’s life.

Shelly and Bob raised their family in the Spanish Park subdivision in Bradenton, Florida where they built long-lasting friendships with the Chapin, Nantista, Gray, Wilson, Moore, Kane, and James families. Many treasured memories were made at the group’s annual Christmas Eve parties.

As Shelly’s youngest child entered kindergarten, she went back to nursing school to finish her degree in nursing. After she graduated, Shelly worked in Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH)’s Emergency Room (ER) for approximately 11 years. Shelly then worked, as a nurse, at Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates (ENT) for over 28 years. One of the things that Shelly loved doing the most was gathering with her ER colleagues (Janet, Linda, Myrna, Kathy, Katie, Ann, and more) for their monthly luncheons at local restaurants. They had many laughs and good times, as they recalled decades of conversations and shared stories of helping others. Some of Shelly’s favorite moments were her rides around town and time she spent with Marilyn, Maxine, Janet, Sandy, Claudia, Connie, Shirley, and Julie. 

Shelly's dedication to service included leading the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in Bradenton, collecting donations for cancer charities, volunteering at her children’s school events, and organizing fundraisers. Known fondly as the “Snow-cone Lady,” she spearheaded efforts to acquire an ice machine for the school, and was even the Homeroom Parent for her children’s classrooms throughout their schooling. Shelly's beautiful singing voice and unwavering encouragement enriched her children’s academic and artistic pursuits. This extraordinary lady chose to work the night shift during her time at MMH, so that she could be present in her children’s daily lives and participate in their school functions. 

Shelly was inspired by her community and friendships, which led her to join Beta Sigma Phi (BSP), an international women’s volunteer organization. Shelly served as President of the BSP City Council, and was her Chapter’s President many times. She was voted Florida’s “Woman of the Year” multiple times, was crowned “Valentine Queen”, and earned many other honors during her tenure in this organization. BSP was more than an organization to Shelly– it was a sisterhood.

Even with all of her medical issues later in life, she still managed to maintain a personable disposition and friendly persona. Shelly loved joining her husband and their large group of Palmetto, Florida friends for weekly early-afternoon dinners. 

Shelly’s impact was profound. She had a wonderful life and definitely made a difference with her years on earth. Her family is certain that she will be watching over them and continuing to support those that she loved and cared for. Everyone that was in Shelly’s life loved her, and she loved them immensely. There will be a void in all of the lives that Shelly touched, but she left an incredible legacy behind. Rest in peace, beautiful Shelly Wenzel. We all love you to the moon and back, always and forever! 

A Memorial Mass for Shelly Wenzel will be held at 11:30 a.m. on December 5, 2024, with a Memorial Rosary being said at 11:00 a.m., at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Palmetto, Florida.