Wendell D. Cultice

Wendell Dean Cultice, age 94, of Springfield, passed away on November 16, 2022 with kind care from the Oakwood Village staff and in the loving embrace of his daughter and granddaughter. He was born on March 5, 1928, in Springfield, Ohio, the son of the late Charles Arthur and Hester Frances (Dean) Cultice. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Martha Eleanor (Weismiller) Cultice; brother, Douglas Cultice; and grandson, John Lentes, Jr.

Wendell is survived by his daughter, Cathy (Cultice) Lentes; granddaughters, Taryn Lentes and Morgan Lentes; granddaughter-in-law, Kori (O’Neill) Lentes; nieces and nephews, Julie (Pete) Tringale, Tracye (Greg) Woolery, Leslie (Mike) Kepler, Holly (Bill) Olson and Mark (Jill) Cultice, Sr.; and brother-in-law, Harold R. (Charlene) Weismiller. Wendell will be mourned and missed by many including beloved cousins and extended family, as well as dear neighbors and friends.

During Wendell's childhood, he attended Springfield City, Clark County, Troy, and Cedarville Schools. He graduated from Cedarville High School in 1946. Wendell continued his education at Cedarville College where he met his future wife, Eleanor, receiving his B.S. in Education in 1951. The couple married on June 16, 1950 in Selma, Ohio.

Wendell began his career in education as a teacher in Bath Township Schools (Fairborn).

From 1952 - 1954, Wendell served as a Sgt. in the United States Army in the 47th Infantry Division during the Korean Conflict. He attended finance school at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana and served in the Finance Corps at Camp Rucker in Alabama.

After returning from his military service, Wendell attended classes at Wilmington College and in 1959 earned his M.ED - Administration from Wittenberg University. He worked as a teacher, coach, and asst. principle at Springfield Local (Possum School). During his years in New Carlisle Bethel Local Schools, he was principal at Medway and Park Layne Elementary and ended his career in the Central Office as Asst. Superintendent. He retired in 1981. In 1999, Wendell received the Tecumseh Hall of Honor Member Award for his outstanding achievement, service and contribution to the Tecumseh Local School District (formerly New Carlisle Bethel).

Wendell attended and served at Central Methodist Church, Grace United Methodist Church, and Emery Chapel. He was a member of the Cedarville Masonic Lodge and New Carlisle Rotary. Wendell served on the Salvation Army Advisory Board for Clark County, and was a long-time member of the Circus Model Builders International and the Circus Historical Society.

In his free time, Wendell loved photography, circus model building, collecting circus memorabilia, gardening, woodworking, listening to gospel, circus and calliope music and was a lifetime Cincinnati Reds’ Fan.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022 from 10a.m.-12p.m. at Jackson Lytle & Lewis Life Celebration Center with service beginning at 12p.m. Pastor Doug Thompson will be officiating, Burial will follow at North Cemetery in Cedarville, Ohio. Memorial contributions may be made in Wendell’s honor to the Salvation Army or Emery Chapel. Condolences may be expressed to his family by visiting www.jacksonlytle.com.