Rev. Kenneth E Wrightsel

A funeral service for the Rev. Kenneth E. Wrightsel, 84, of Thornville, formerly Lancaster, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday at McPeek-Hoekstra Funeral Home, 133 S. Prospect Street, Granville with Mark Pierce, Chaplain Hospice of Central Ohio, officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Lancaster.

Kenneth passed away Thursday, August 13, 2009 at Autumn at the Lake in Thornville. He was born in Cambridge, May 20, 1925 to the late Earl J. and Florence (Stiles) Wrightsel.

A WWII veteran, Kenneth served in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. He returned to Ohio and graduated from Otterbein College and earned his Masters of Divinity from United Theological Seminary.

Kenneth, formerly E.U.B, was a minister for the Ohio West Conference of the United Methodist Church where he served on the Secretarial Staff and helped found Camp Otterbein in Logan. During his 45 years as a pastor, he served in the communities of Peachblow, Blanchester, Ostrander, Breman, Belpre, Whitehall, Richwood, Millersport, Ayersville, and Montpelier. His love of woodworking and remodeling enabled him to build many churches and parsonages in these communities. Upon his retirement to Lancaster, he continued to pastor three rural churches.

A devoted and loving father, Kenneth, will fondly be remembered as a loving, doting grandfather and great grandfather. He will also be remembered for his generosity and passion for ice cream.

Surviving are his daughters and sons-in-law, Esther Wrightsel and Dale Lobeck of Newark and Nadine and George Sparks of Delaware; grandchildren and their spouses, Desiree and Chris McCallips of Durand, Il, Deven and Ken Rittenhouse of Granville, Jennifer and Doug Clay of Hilliard, Deanna and David Jackson of Delaware and Jason McDougle and Tara Scaggs of Delaware; six great grandchildren; one sister, Norma Hurd of Bolivar, TN.

In addition to his wife, Juanita Y. Wrightsel, who died Feb. 7, 2009, he was preceded in death by his son, Earl Wrightsel; and infant daughter, Carolyn June.

Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m., Sunday at MCPEEK-HOEKSTRA FUNERAL HOME in Granville. Online condolences may be expressed at www.mcpeekhoekstra.com.

The family wishes to thank the staff from Autumn at the Lake and Hospice of Central Ohio for their loving care.