The
Change
Engine

Yes the CAKE says 40, but is that how young she is?

A couple of weeks ago Holly Smith (Mary Ellen’s Grandaughter) had a birthday. How old…ah - young is she? Who cares, it was fun. We’ll be posting the birthday video Thursday night. So check back it’s pretty fun.

If you sign up for a WensleyFamily.com email address you can check your email right on this website. And your email address can be name@WensleyFamily.com! It’s free, and it’s easy. All you have to do is send us the name you want for your address and we’ll set it up. Send your info to jwensley@visualcmg.com.

Why would you want to do this? I have no idea. Well, maybe you just like the idea of it. If you already have email and it’s working for you, that’s fine. But, if you happen to want to change, we can do it.

Julie talked to Elaine tonight. Mary Ellen is getting noticeably weaker, and taking naps when she never has before. Thankfully she is not experiencing a lot of pain. If you are family, you probably already know this. But there have been over 1500 visitors to this website in the last three weeks, so there are many people visiting here who are not family. Beverly arrives tomorrow, Lil is scheduled to leave Saturday, and Alice Mae is leaving tomorrow. Julie and I will be there Thursday evening. I am praying for a bit more time with Mary Ellen. She was strong when we left, and I didn’t really say a proper goodbye because I knew I would be back soon. I told her this story when I was there.

I spent a weekend with Mary Ellen and George one spring. Uncle George and I were in the basement and he was showing me how to braid a keychain. He asked me if I was gong to camp, but I didn’t know what it was. So he explained it to me and asked me if I would like to go. It was Mary Ellen that got me excited about it and when I went home I told my mom about camp and asked if I could go. Conversations ensued, and sometime later I found myself sitting beside Uncle George on the way to camp. It lasted a week, and I can’t remember a bit of it. But from that time on I was quite insistent on going to camp, and never missed a summer. Four years later I met Julie, my bride to be - at a Christian Camp. And as it happens, I met Someone else there too.

Ok, I think Mary Ellen has enough cookies for everyone. But we still have a mystery face. Number #3. We’ve guessed Aunt Sarah, Grandma Lewis, and Mrs. Howell. Frankly, I haven’t a clue. This was well before my time. Aunt Sally, we seem to stumped. Can you help us out? In fact, I think one or more of the Great Eight need to come to our rescue. Please?!?

I’m am curious about the occasion of the photo. Lil, Larry - you were there. Can you help us out?

While looking through pictures at Mary Ellen’s this week we found this photo. Some are quite easy to name, others, a bit more difficult. Who are they and when was this photo taken? Leave your answers in a comment and reference the numbers. The winner gets one of Mary Ellen’s cookies. Yes, there are some left. But you’ll have to go to her house to eat it.

It was a great treat to share in the experience that many of you have already had in visiting Mary Ellen. The outpouring of love that is coming from the her church, community, friends, and family, is truly amazing. Rhoda (Mary Ellen’s niece) spent a week of her vacation at Mary Ellen’s, working hard, and caring for Mary Ellen in so many ways. And there have been so many others.

I received an email (below) today from someone I have never met. She did not post her comment but I want to share it just the same. I’m sure some of you know her so I think it is important.

*****************

Hi, Dan!

I’ve been checking out the Wensley site ever since I noticed the link on www.Katysblog.com

As the only member of the Harriff clan who never lived in Michigan, I don’t know the Wensleys very well. I know Lucile, of course, and I met Ed once, I believe. I also met “Mom” Wensley, and perhaps some of the other family members, once when I was visiting family in Michigan and they took me for a short visit to the Wensley home.

Was Mary Ellen’s husband George also the one who was called “Dudley”? I remember Paul talking about him a lot, and I thought he was one of his Navy buddies. But when I mentioned it once, he said, “No, he’s my brother-in-law.” He certainly thought a lot of him.

I have come to the conclusion from reading this site that you must be Lionel’s son. Am I right? I’d heard quite a bit about him from my sister Middy (Mildred) when she was staying at the Wensley home and working in Michigan.

I remember hearing a lot about Fran & Sally, too, in the days of Paul & Lucile’s courtship, and probably the early days of their marriage.

I would have liked to comment on the site, but I just don’t seem to know enough about the family, except for Paul & Lucile.

I’ll keep looking in.

Doris Harriff

*****************

I want to make a suggestion to those who visit this site: The website is receiving an extraordinary number of visitors. Please post a comment yourself and tell someone else who may be interested to visit this site and post a comment. You may not have another chance to share what you want to. You may have a story or memory that the family has never heard, and may not ever hear if you don’t share it. Even if you do share it with someone in the family, others may never get to hear it. I understand that many may not be familiar with this type of website, and so when I say “post a comment”, this may not be familiar language. It will seem easy once you have done it. Feel free to email, or call me and I will walk you through it. And if you can, visit www.katysblog.com, and pray for Katy Campbell, an amazing young women of God who needs your prayers.

Email: dwensley@visualcmg.com
Ph: 540-345-2750

I found this photo of Aunt Lucile and Aunt Mary Ellen in the archive. I snapped it at a family reunion at Uncle Ed’s Home in Plymouth Michigan but I don’t have any idea what year it was taken. Maybe around fifteen to twenty years ago. I hope to look further into the archive today and see what else I can find.
Click on the photo to enlarge.

I have been meaning to set up this website for some time. Our Aunts and Uncles are getting on in age and I fear one in particular may soon become a citizen of Heaven.

Mary Ellen Masters has been diagnosed with Cancer of the liver and as I understand may not be with us long. Although she is doing well currently, she is in a weakened condition. I hope to visit her within a few days.

I don’t know what shape this site will take in the future but I would like to share some of my memories of Mary Ellen Masters, my dear Aunt, and daughter of Ed and Ethel Wensley. I would also invite others who have memories of Mary Ellen to leave comments and memories of her in comment at the end of this post for others to read. Mary Ellen’s late husband George Masters was an amazing man, and your comments and memories of him would also be welcome. If you choose to leave a comment, please be informal.

Please pray for Mary Ellen and her family. Her daughters are seeing to their mothers needs. Please pray for them as they minister to her.

How to leave a comment: Click on the Comment link at the end of any post to leave a comment.