Obituary of Wendel Frank Kiser

Life Tribute for Wendel Frank Kiser Born on June 19, 1954 in Lodi, California to parents Wendel Joseph and Milga Kiser, joining three other siblings, Paul, Rosemarie and Alice. His family operated a dairy on Jahant Road north of Lodi where he grew up helping his father milking cows, doing farm chores and learning the ethic of hard work. In September of 1959 his younger brother, Joseph, was born. Wendel attended nearby Oak View Elementary School followed by four years at Galt High School, graduating in 1972. Wendel always had a keen memory which he enjoyed using in his history classes; but he liked his shop classes the best, especially those taught by Mr. Champion. In Wendel’s Senior Year, Mr. Champion arranged for him to attend a carpentry apprenticeship program in Sacramento. This experience helped him acquire a cabinet apprenticeship position with Union Planing Mill in Stockton. After completing the apprenticeship, Wendel was able to buy a newly constructed home on Alpine Drive in south Lodi. In 1975, Wendel married Heidi Burri of Ripon whom he met at Swiss events that he attended. They had two children; Andrea, born in 1980, and Hans, born in 1982. Feeling the need to provide for his young family, his garage became a cabinet shop for additional work that he acquired. The cabinet shop that he started in his garage, prompted Wendel to pursue a contractor’s license in Cabinet Millwork and Finished Carpentry, which he attained in July, 1982. Later, deciding to branch out on his own, away from Union Planing Mill, he entered into several partnerships, but found a more secure position with Stockton City Unified School District as a Maintenance Department Supervisor. Following this job, he reentered the cabinet making business: working for his twin cousins, Louie and Walt Schallberger, who own L & W Cabinets. Through out the time Wendel held his day time jobs, he always had work going on in his garage at Alpine Drive where his father enjoyed helping him. His father was a farm boy who grew up in Switzerland and had always wanted to become a carpenter. Now after retiring from the dairy farm and moving into Lodi, his father could busy himself fulfilling his childhood dreams. It was a healthy bike ride from Dad’s Ehrhardt Drive residence to Wendel’s garage. There he could putter on projects in progress, doing odds and ends, and sweep up sawdust. It was a win win situation for both of them until his father’s passing in 1992. Wendel’s appetite for work strained his marriage. His wife, Heidi and he decided to part ways and divorced in 1995. At this time, Wendel had become self employed and set his sights on developing his business, Kiser Construction. He began to acquire jobs with prominent people in Lodi and earned a solid reputation for his knowledge, skills and craftsmanship. He established a positive relationship with Lodi’s former Mayor, Susan Hitchcock, while doing remodel work on her home. She encouraged him to serve on Lodi’s Planning Commission, which he did for two four-year-terms. Also, Wendel spent many years working with the California State Contractor’s Board as a subject matter expert upgrading the Contractor’s Licensing Examinations. In 2014 he entered Lodi’s City Council race and missed being elected by a narrow margin. Wendel had a very benevolent nature. His Kiser Construction company generously supported Lodi’s youth sport teams: baseball, softball, and soccer. He loved the Lodi community and the numerous people who gave him an opportunity to do what he liked to do best, work with his hands to build, remodel, fix and create beautifully crafted things. He always wanted to please his clients! As lifetime member of Saint Anne’s Catholic Church; he attended mass and served as an usher. Wendel was pleased to share his knowledge and input toward the Court Yard Plaza project. He coordinated and paid for the activities to have the new outdoor statue set in place. As much as Wendel loved working, he also enjoyed going target shooting with his friends, going to the Lodi Cinema to view the latest movie releases and having Skype sessions with his sister Rosemarie in Spain and Austria. Wendel enjoyed and appreciated the love, support, and companionship of his long-time friend, Lorie Kulp, her daughter, Alisha, and granddaughter, Aubree. He also took great pleasure in hosting two Kiser, Domine and Schallberger Family Reunions. The most recent one in 2019 was at the Odd Fellows Lodge in Lodi. The I.O.O.F. (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) Lodge 259 of Lodi has given Wendel a place to go for stress relief for the past 10 years along with good fellowship. He enjoyed working to enhance the lodge’s organization and infrastructure, and to strengthen it for the younger members. He proudly touted their pickling products, which he made with his fellow members, sharing them with family and friends. In response to Wendel’s efforts, the lodge elected him Nobel Grand in 2019. Beside being proud of this Odd Fellow affiliation, Wendel was always very proud of his daughter and son’s lives. His daughter, Andrea, has been a firefighter and paramedic for 19 years and is starting a new assignment at the Federal Presidio of Monterey Fire Dept. Wendel’s son, Hans, has just completed 20 years of service in the United States Marine Corps. Hans has entered into retirement in North Carolina and is also pursuing a 2nd career in construction. Wendel’s favorite local restaurant was Pietro’s where he annually hosted his Christmas party in early December for family, friends and business associates. There was always an array of wonderful appetizers, followed by salads, delightful main dishes, including the “Wendel Steak” and a special Italian dessert. In between, wine would flow! Owner Jim Murdaca and his family became his special family and treated him as one of their family members. It’s Lodi’s people like the Murdacas that made Wendel always say, “I’ve been blessed! What can I say!” On Sunday, July 26, 2020, after a month-long struggle in the intensive care unit at Lodi Memorial Hospital, the Corona virus made its final assault on our beloved, robust 66 year old Wendel. He is survived by his daughter, Andrea; son Hans (wife Lexi); grandsons Owen, Hayden and Ethen; brother Paul (wife Alice); sister Rosemarie (husband Dieter); sister Alice (husband Camile); brother Joe (wife Susan); and numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces. The people of Lodi will miss the sounds of Wendel’s white Dodge diesel pickup trolling down the streets. Our jovial Wendel has passed on to join his beloved father (Pop), mother Milga and niece, Michelle Domine in heaven. Knowing Wendel, he is probably telling St. Peter how to fix and improve the Gates of Heaven.