URBANA:  Faye Wendel, age 95, died Saturday, September 23, 2006 at the Vinton Lutheran Home following an extended illness.
     Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at Zion Lutheran Church in Shellsburg with Rev. Mark Leckband officiating.  Interment will be at the Urbana Cemetery.  Friends may call from 4:00 until 7:00 P.M. Monday at the Phillips Funeral Home Chapel 212 E. 6th Street in Vinton.
     She is survived by two sons, Richard (Sandra) Wendel of Urbana, Bill (Nancy) Wendel of Oelwein, her daughter Janice (Albert) Hepker of Urbana, 11 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and her sister-in-law June Higgins of West Point, IA.
     She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Elwood in 1977, her daughter Shirley Mae Wendel, two grandchildren, Matthew Wendel and Wendy Getty, two brothers Albert and Wilson Higgins and two sisters Velma Ruplinger and Mamie Rowe.
   Faye was born on February 27, 1911, the daughter of Warren and Nellie (Reinier) Higgins.  She graduated from the South English High School with the class of 1930.  On October 26, 1932 she married Elwood Wendel at Mt. Carroll, IL.  Faye and Elwood lived in Newhall for a few years and spent most of their married life in Urbana.  She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Shellsburg and served on the board of the Urbana Cemetery Association.  Faye was an accomplished homemaker and was known for her homemade bread and raised chickens and sold eggs. She was a wonderful mother-in-law and she enjoyed soap operas and crossword puzzles in her leisure.