William Findley Wentz (1916 - 1944)

Born 7 Apr 1916 in Walnut, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Lalieth (Protheroe) Wentz — married 29 Jan 1944 (to 9 Apr 1944) in Alamogordo, Otero, New Mexico, United States

Died 9 Apr 1944 at age 28 in Tutow, Demmin, Pomerania, Prussia, Germany [uncertain]

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Biography

William Findley Wentz was an Iowan.

William Findley was born in 1916. He was the son of Newton William Wentz and Genevieve Findley. He passed away in 1944.

Newspapers

“The Courier”, (Waterloo, Iowa), 1944 Apr 2, page 13

Wentz - Protheroe Marriage Revealed

Announcement is made of the marriage of Miss Lalieth Protheroe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Protheroe, 1125 Washington street, Cedar Falls, and Staff Sgt. William F. Wentz, son of Mrs. Genevieve Wentz, 110 Gates street, Waterloo, which took place Jan. 29 at Alamogordo, N. M., in the Presbyterian parsonage. Rev. Lacey Simms officiated.

Sergeant Wentz was employed as bus driver for the W. C. F. & N. Railway Co., before entering the service October, 1942. He was with the army air forces stationed at Alamagordo, N. M., until a month ago when he was sent to England.

Mrs. Wentz is a commercial clerk in the telephone office at Cedar Falls.

“The Courier”, (Waterloo, Iowa), 1945 Oct 21, page 17

Wentz Declared Officially Dead; B-24 Crewman

Mrs. Genevieve F. Wentz, of 110 Sans Souci drive, Saturday received word from the war department that her son, Tech. Sgt. William F. Wentz, 29, flight engineer on a B-24 Liberator, who was reported missing on a bombarding mission over Tutow, Germany, Apr. 9, 1944, was declared dead as of Oct, 17, 1945.

His wife resides with her parents at 1125 Washington street, Cedar Falls, Ia.

Overseas since February, 1944, he entered service in October, 1942.

Born Apr. 7, 1916, in Walnut, la., the son of Newton W. and Genevieve Wentz, he came to Waterloo 12 years ago and was employed by the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern railroad before entering service. He was married to Lalieth Protheroe Jan. 29, 1944, in Alamogordo, N. M.

Besides his wife and mother, he is survived by two sisters, Miss Nova Wentz, at home, and Mrs. Howard Jones, 909 West Third

Sources

"Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR83-GM1 : 1 April 2020), William Findley Wentz, 7 Apr 1916; citing Walnut, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States; county district courts, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,477,209.

"United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDMZ-4X5 : Fri Jul 21 10:56:48 UTC 2023), Entry for N W Wentz and Genevieve Wentz, 1920.

"United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMJD-JFY : Thu Aug 03 20:04:54 UTC 2023), Entry for Newton Wentz and Genevieve Wentz, 1930.

"United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMT9-WJ5 : Sat Jul 22 00:22:41 UTC 2023), Entry for Genevieve F Wentz and Nora G Wentz, 1940.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56295466/william-findley-wentz: accessed 10 August 2023), memorial page for TSGT William Findley Wentz (7 Apr 1916–9 Apr 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56295466, citing Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England; Maintained by Skip Farrow (contributor 47380732).