Obituary

On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Toni Anne Wendelman passed away at her home in Lee’s Summit, Missouri surrounded by family to be with our blessed Jesus after a 20 year courageous battle with Huntington’s Disease.

Toni Anne Wendelman was born October 1, 1938 to James K. Redden and Massie P. Redden in Cushing, Oklahoma.  (actually born in Stillwater, Oklahoma but had no hospital available)

Toni’s father was transferred with his job throughout her life from Oklahoma to Texas to Montana to Iowa.  In 1954 she moved to Billings, Montana and performed solo in “Babes in Toyland” at her High School in Billings, Montana. In the Fall of 1955, after tryouts of over 500 other contestants throughout the US, Toni was the only female of three winners chosen to appear on a Final Talant Show on the “Horace Heidt Stage Show” singing “Man In The Raincoat” winning 2^nd place and a big $50.00 prize.  In1956 Toni graduated from high school with honors and won the award as the shortest in her class. Toni began singing at age 7 in grade school and continued through Jr. High and High School. From 1956 to 1957, Toni studied at Eastern Mt College and was quite a talented performer traveling with the Majorette Troop marching and dancing with all the Eastern Mt college sports teams and where Toni majored in Secretarial/business. Toni developed her voice into Operatic excellence, almost accepting a job as an Opera singer and continued to sing solos and love music until her end of life.

After college, her father was transferred again and moved to Sioux City, Iowa with her family where she met her current husband, Larry Wendelman, a marriage of 67 years. While attending a teen church dance, she met Larry who was in the Air Force and stationed in a town near Sioux City. They fell deeply in love and were married at the same United Methodist Church in Sioux City where first meeting, December 27, 1958.  On August of 1959, Daniel, their first was born in Sioux City, Iowa.  Larry was then transferred with the Air Force to the US Radar Air Base in Armstrong, Ontario, Canada.

She was the oldest of four siblings, 2 brothers and 1 sister. Her youngest brother Michael was born 18 years later. After coming home from a weeklong trip with his job, her father, Jim as he entered the house would always call out for Toni, “where’s my little TON TOTS?”

A statement from her only living sibling, little sister Kay, reminisces about Toni, “My Big Sister” Toni Anne was very small in physical statue but big in all other ways. She had a big heart, a big singing voice and big loving presence! When we lived in Montana and she was a senior in high school and I was only 8 years old she taught me how to play jacks, while sitting on the wooden floor we used all her many ‘cool’ special techniques and learned the “ins and outs” of the game while using a golf club the ball would fly nice and high.  After she was newly married and Larry was first stationed in Canada, she lived with us for awhile.  I was only the awkward stage of 11 years old and just moved to a new town.  She always took time to keep me company many late Saturday nights eating fresh popped popcorn and always watching one of those dreadfully scary mummy movies together.  I am so grateful to God for giving me my beautiful Big sister Toni Anne.  She is the greatest blessing to our family and I cherish every memory. Not only has she been a loving sister, a true friend a loving, devoted wife and the most awesome mother.  She is home now and at Peace, shining her Light down upon us all.  We love her forever and ever!”  Yours Always, Loving Little Sister Kay.

After leaving the military, in 1960 Toni and Larry moved to Ft Wayne, Indiana where their second son, David was born and then moved to Warsaw, Indiana where their only little daughter, Cinthia was born. In 1964, they then moved and built a home in Independence, Missouri, living there for 8 years. Then in 1975, they moved and settled into a newly built home in Lee’s Summit, Missouri until Toni’s death in 2026.  They joined Christ United Methodist Church in 1965, being a life member for more than 60 years staying very active singing in the choir, singing solos, playing piano and singing duets with her amazingly talented son, David and in 1980 starting the first Contemporary Band, “Faith Alive Praise Band” with her dear friend, Bill Jones at Christ United Methodist and continued volunteering every chance she could. Toni was a Girl Scout, loved KC Chiefs Football and Royals Baseball teams, loved Elvis, loved to bake, was an excellent seamstress and made all of her daughter, Cinthia’s dance costumes for plays and school performances. The family also traveled around the United States to visit historic sites, visit family and friends and campout at all the State Parks of America and continued RVing with Larry even after retirement moving into a 5^th Wheeler and then into a Motorhome, a special Anniversary gift, which Larry named after Toni, “The TonMobile”  Most of all Throughout Toni’s years, she loved and cherished every moment spent with family and especially adored and truly proud of her 4 Grandsons and 2 Great Grandsons.

Over the years, Toni held many top Executive Secretarial jobs, worked as Executive Secretary for the Methodist Seminary, worked for Camp Fire, Inc. off the Plaza for 15 years with honors and top Executive Secretary to the Dean Of Faculty at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri for 15 years until retiring in 2004. Toni truly loved her time spent there at Nazarene College.

We believe Toni’s in heaven now at peace dancing and singing her little heart out with her beautiful angelic voice alongside angels surrounding her.

Besides her parents she was preceded in death by two brothers, Pat and Michael Redden.

Toni is survived by her spouse, Larry Wendelman of the home; 3 children, Dan (Candy) Wendelman, Liberty, MO, David (John Riggi) Wendelman, Los Angeles, CA and Cinthia Chapman, Lee’s Summit, MO;  grandsons, Andrew and Shane Chapman and Brian and Billy Wendelman and Chris and Brian Stark; and her sister, Kay (Phil) Sorenson, State of Minnesota.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Langsford Funeral Home in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. A graveside service will directly follow at Mount Moriah Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. in Kansas City, Missouri.