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World War II began December 7, 1941, and Wendell was drafted into the US Army. He was in radar. A call was issued for him to train for six weeks in basic training and he was sent overseas to Patton's 3rd Army in the infantry. He had no advanced training and was sent to the front. He was shot where the Rhine and Movell Rivers come together. It was a serious injury so he was sent to England and later returned on a hospital ship to New York City. He was put on a train from there and rode on it to Walla Walla, Washington. When he recovered, he was discharged and began a new life.
He went to school, under the GI Bill, in Los Angeles and took accounting. Then he went to work in Los Angeles until after their first boy was born. Lawrence Wendell was born March 8, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. Wendell felt very strongly that the city was too large and too crowded to raise a family. He wanted more of a country life, similar to what he had been raised in so they moved to Portland where he obtained employment at an Automobile Dealership in Oregon City. He was nearer to his folks and was much happier. He then moved his family to Medford, where he worked for a dealership there. His other two boys were born there: Charles Ray was born 14 September 1949 and Jerry Lee was born 24 September 1951.
Wendell had the opportunity to buy half of the dealership which he did and became the working owner. During the years he owned the dealership he handled new cars such as Lincoln, Mercury, Jeep and later Pontiac. His business was successful and he encouraged his parents when they retired to move to Medford and he gave them the job of cleaning his office at night or early morning so they would have more money to live on. He was very good to his parents, seeing they had a place to live and were taken care of.
Wendell sold his business and retired the end of December 1979. He kept the land the dealership was on and rented it so they would have a monthly income. He liked to hunt and fish and enjoyed this extra time for doing just that.
His oldest boy, Larry, works for a car dealership, following in his father's footsteps. He married Debbie and they had a daughter, Laurie, but when Laurie was 13 ½ months old, her mother died. Wendell and Eva Mae took her to raise. This hampered their retirement but brought a great deal of joy into their lives. They, at last, had a girl to raise. Larry lives in Vancouver, Washington, which is not too far away.
Charles, their second son, lives in Eugene, Oregon, married Sharon and has eight children: Mindy, Michael, Emma Lou, Bryan, Eric, Kimberly, Kate and Karen. He is in sales for an insurance company.
Jerry Lee lives in Houston, Texas, is married to Sharon, and has a son and daughter: Ryan and Amy.
They have been a very happy family until Wendell died quite suddenly. He had had some strokes and kidney failure but things happened suddenly and he passed away on 10th of February 1999. It is a great loss for Eva Mae. She has been a good wife and been with him all of their married life except for his war service. She is having a hard time to adjust at this writing. May she be comforted and blessed.