Wayne Joseph Tenge, 83

Wayne Joseph Tenge, age 83 of New Hampton, died Friday, March 14, 2025, at his home surrounded by family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 20, 2025, at Holy Family Parish, New Hampton, with the Rev. James Goerend celebrating the Mass.

Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, New Hampton.

Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton where there will be a 3:30 p.m. family Rosary and a 7 p.m Parish Scripture Service.  Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Thursday.

Wayne was born on July 17, 1941, the son of Edmund and Magdalena (Wegner) Tenge at the old St. Joseph’s Hospital in New Hampton. He was the third sibling in the family of seven children — five boys and two girls — and grew up on the family farm northwest of North Washington.

At an early age he learned the value of hard work and responsibility and these lessons he would carry with him throughout his lifetime. During those early years he did his share of farm chores, milking cows and working in the fields. He had to come straight home from school, change clothes and get right to work. There was little time for fun but when the opportunity arose he spent it hunting and fishing in the area.

Wayne attended St. Mary’s School in North Washington graduating with the class of 1959. He purchased his first car after graduation, a 1953 Ford, which he was proud of and that led to a lifetime passion for cars of which he had several over the years. Even though he enjoyed growing up there, he knew farming was not in his future. In 1961 he moved to New Hampton where he remained for the rest of his life.

He enjoyed roller skating at the Crystal Ball roller rink and it was there he met a young New Hampton girl, Willa Cooney. They skated and dated and were married in 1963.  To this union three children — Lora, Kevin and Lisa — were born. They were later divorced.

Wayne’s first job was at Card Motor Company (now New Hampton Auto Body), working on cars which was right up his alley. Later on he took a job with the Home Gas Co., driving the bulk truck and later sales manager. He also worked for a short time at Lynor Engineering (now Tri-Mark), where they sent him to Owatonna, Minnesota, to learn the tool and die trade.

When Sara Lee started operations in 1972 he went to work there in the maintenance department and remained there for 28 years until the plant closed. During his time there he served for many years as chief union steward for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and also served on contract negotiating committees.

While working at Sara Lee he rekindled a spark with a former teenage friend, Darlene (Dusheck) Nehl, who also worked there. They never really dated back then but always remained friends and kept in touch for over 25 years until fate brought them together and they realized they were meant to be. They were married in 1986. They both retired from Sara Lee after the plant closed in 2000.

After retirement Wayne was not one to sit and watch TV all day. He was busy fixing or fabricating things in his garage workshop. He could fix almost anything. He always kept a to-do list in his pocket and everything always got done. He used to say “I can get up in the morning with nothing to do and by noon I’m so far behind I’ll never catch up.”

He enjoyed his home and loved the outdoors, working in the yard alongside his wife, Darlene trying to keep things neat and orderly. He was a very meticulous person so everything had to be just so. He was proud of his home and lawn and it showed.

Besides work, Wayne always had time for fun. He enjoyed playing cards, watching old westerns on TV, football (Vikings and Hawkeyes), visiting with family and friends, and most of all he loved FISHING.

In his early years, he traveled for 15 years to Lake Michigan salmon fishing with a group of friends. Then it was crappie fishing at several lakes in Minnesota with his buddies or his wife, Darlene. They spent many vacations from Sara Lee at their favorite lake – Lake Osakis. Later he and friends fished the lakes in southern Iowa for over 20 years. He loved the sport and was good at it, even ice fishing in the winter. Friends called him Crappie King. He was usually in charge of organizing the trips and came home with plenty of fish and lots of good stories to share. Fishing was his life.

He was a wonderful husband to his wife, Darlene of 38 years and a good father to his children. He raised them to be responsible and independent, but they always knew they could count on Dad for his advice and expertise if they ever needed it.

They gave him seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren that were a special part of his life and he loved them all in his own unique way. He was proud of them all and cherished the time spent with them. He also gained two step-daughters, two step-grandsons and one step-great-grandson from his wife’s side.

He lived a full life and shared it with all who knew him. He was a very out-going person and loved to visit with anyone.

He also never met a stranger. He could strike up a conversation with a total stranger, and soon they were good friends. He was also the life of the party at the Coffee Club at the Senior Center where he could reminisce with friends about the good old days and discuss the local news of the day.

Although Wayne was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, he fought the battle and never let it get him down.

Surely now he’s in a better place, possibly that cabin at the lake which he always wished he had, in his boat with a fish pole in hand and a smile on his face.

Left to remember him are his wife, Darlene; his three children, Lora (Trace) Dungey, Kevin (Jenny) Tenges and Lisa (Kevin) Flick; grandchildren, Cory (Whitney) Dungey, Tony (Theresa) Dungey, Nolan (Sharayu Phanse) Dungey, Kristen (David) Strabala, Kaitlyn  (Heath) Huntley, Jordan (Maddy) Flick and Madison (Tyler Borneman) Flick; step-daughters, Lisa (Jeff) Wells and Linda (Bill) Flick; step-grandsons, Zachary (Julia) Flick and Brayden Flick; great-grandchildren, Trenton and Tristan Dungey, Harrison and Hayes Huntley, Hudson,  Hayden and Callan Flick and Ellie Strabala; step-great-grandsons, Parker Flick and Mason Flick; siblings, Vince (Pat) Tenge, Carolyn Rosauer, Everett (Diane) Tenge, Linda Belisle, Dale (Diane) Tenge and Richard Tenge; sister-in-law JoAnn Burke; and several nieces and nephews.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund and Magdalena Tenge; in-laws, Joseph and Marie Dusheck; and brothers-in-law, Jack Rosauer, Robert Schlindwein, John Belise and Thomas Burke.