Clyde Andrew Wenschhof, Jr., 88, of Fairfield, PA, passed away peacefully at home on July 4, 2025, with his wife and daughter by his side. Clyde was born January 26, 1937 in Annie M Warner Hospital (now Gettysburg Hospital) to the late Verna May (Ney) Wenschhof and Clyde A. Wenschhof Sr.
Altogether, Clyde lived in the Fairfield area for eighty years. He grew up on a farm on Wenschhof Road, met his future wife a few days after she was born when he was six years old, and started school at Lower Tract, a one-room schoolhouse. Clyde was part of the second class at the newly built Fairfield High School, where he graduated in 1955. Clyde joined the army, working in radio communications for the Army Security Agency in Germany, Turkey, and briefly in Africa.. After his discharge, Clyde earned a Radio License at Grantham School of Electronics. Already having a top secret clearance, he started working for Western Union Telegraph Company in Washington, DC. There, Clyde received and transferred the first reports from Dallas of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Clyde returned to Fairfield in 196,5, soon after marrying Nancy Lee Kime. Two weeks before his passing, Nancy and Clyde celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary, enjoying family photos, the pictures of their childhood, their wedding, their trips, and reminiscing about the wonderful life they had together.
Clyde worked at American Satellite Communications Center at Ft Detrick, MD, from 1965 to 1995, when he retired as Chief Computer Technician. During this time, Clyde and Nancy welcomed their daughter Jennifer into the world. Clyde mostly worked the night shift, which allowed him to fulfill an old dream of becoming a truck driver. He began by purchasing a dump truck and hauling trash for area residents. Clyde expanded Wenschhof Trucking Company to hauling coal and apple pomace. He instilled his work ethic into his young daughter by having Jen first bag and then shovel coal. Working two jobs made it feasible for Nancy to leave teaching and stay home raising their daughter until Jen started middle school. Clyde supported Jen’s scouting on camping trips and day camps and continued on the Camp Happy Valley maintenance team after Jen aged out, serving as a registered Girl Scout for 15 years.
Clyde dissolved the Wenschhof Trucking Company in 2005 to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. He volunteered at Fairfield Fire Company bingo until he could no longer see and at the Majestic Theatre from 2006 until COVID. He loved attending Bluegrass Festivals and Totem Pole performances. He frequently joined Nancy for lunch at the Village Table, where he met old friends and made new ones, and loved hearing their stories. Unable to resist an opportunity to tell a story himself, his family and friends knew they were about to hear a good story when they heard, That reminds me of … or Did I ever tell you about the time that…
Clyde and Nancy loved to travel, camping in state and national parks, seeing every state except Hawaii and Nebraska, staying in London while touring England, cruising the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, going to China to see their first grandchild in 2008, and in later years, enjoying bus trips. He especially enjoyed visiting his brother George’s ranch in Colorado. Clyde’s cowboy boots, buckle, and hat fit right in while he baled hay and helped brand cattle. He loved the West, loved being outdoors, and when he wasn’t, he loved watching old Westerns and listening to old country music. Throughout his life, Clyde enjoyed shooting and fishing, although he was more interested in the sport than he was in killing animals. Clyde certainly enjoyed reminiscing about shooting close enough to light a match without knocking the head off, and other feats of skill he and George accomplished as teenagers.
Clyde is survived by his wife, Nancy Wenschhof, daughter Jennifer Wenschhof, her husband Conor Gallogly, and grandchildren, Liam Gallogly and Sara Gallogly of Oak Park, IL. He is also survived by a brother, Raymond C. Wenschhof of Fairfield, PA, sisters-in-law Kathy Orner of Hampton, PA, and Jaclyn Wenschhof of IL, and nieces and nephews in TN, IL, and WA, as well as in PA. He was predeceased by his brother George Wenschhof, his sisters-in-law Glenda Wenschhof, Darlene Michael, and Mary Louise Kneller.
Friends and family are invited to Clyde’s Celebration of Life on Thursday, August 7. 2025 at 11:00 a.m.at the Fairfield Fire Hall at 106 Steelman Street. The family will receive guests from 10 a.m. until the time of service with Pastor Brenda R. Walter of Fairfield Mennonite Church officiating. Guests are invited to bring and share stories and memories. Please join the family for lunch after the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Adams County Community Foundation for the Fairfield Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, 25 South 4th Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325 or to Fairfield Fire Company, 106 Steelman Street, Fairfield, PA 17320. Online obituary and condolences available at monahanfuneralhome.com.