Mr. Wetzel, 86, of Vero Beach, Fla., died Jan. 25, 2009. He was raised in Linden and had been a longtime resident of Metuchen, where he and his wife, Kathleen, raised nine children prior to moving to Florida in the late 1980s. Mr. Wetzel was a Rutgers University graduate and served in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II. Prior to his retirement, he was employed by Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Newark, for more than 35 years. Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Kathleen SullivanWetzel; four daughters, Margaret of Melbourne Village, Fla., Kate of Ellicott City, Md., Anne of Sea Bright, and Sally (Sarah) of Shrewsbury; five sons, William of Vero Beach, Fla., Edward of Metuchen, Robert and Paul, both of Centennial, Colo., and James of Wilmington, Del.; 18 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister, Margaret of Largo, Fla.; a brother, David of Clearwater, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial donations may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation at www.wish.org. A memorial service was held at the Strunk Funeral Home in Vero Beach.
