Wendell Harleman

Wendell Harleman

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Wendell on November 23, 2025 after fighting a brief but courageous battle with metastatic cancer. Wendell was born on November 10, 1949 and passed at age 76.

He was a l967 graduate of Northmont High School and lived in the Village of Phillipsburg for 74 years. He was a hard worker from the time he started working at age 16 until his recent retirement on September 17, 2025. Wendell had worked at Skyways as an aircraft mechanic and also at Emery Worldwide for many years. He finished his career at the Village of Phillipsburg and worked there for 10 years as the Water and Street Commissioner - the same position his dad worked at many years before. Wendell loved his job.

Wendell was a low-key kind of guy, but every once in a while, he would say something really hilarious. He was still doing that just a few days before he died.

Wendell liked being a friend to so many people; he easily talked to others and loved being around his friends. Wendell flew radio-controlled airplanes at the FAST Club. All kinds of airplanes were a passion for him, and he knew so much about them. It would upset him when he was watching a movie, and they were using the wrong airplane because they thought no one would notice it, but Wendell did.

Wendell's faith was important to him. He didn't wear it on his sleeve, but he carried it in his heart and quietly expressed it. He was currently attending New Lebanon Nazarene Church. Just days before he died, he told one of the hospital staff he was ready to go and God was #1 in his life.

His family was everything to him. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Donna; his daughter Angie; and his brother Jack. Also surviving are his brother-in-law Jim Phelps and his sisters-in-law Brenda Phelps, Thelma Johnson, Shirley Phelps and Rae Phelps. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents Marjorie and Stanley Harleman and mother-and-father-in-law Lissie and Clyn Phelps and brother-in-law Bill Phelps.

Visitation will be 11am-1pm with funeral service to begin at 1:00pm on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at the New Lebanon Church of the Nazarene. Burial will follow at Royal Oak Memorial Gardens Cemetery. If desired, donations can be made to New Lebanon Church of the Nazarene, PO Box 226, New Lebanon, OH 45345.

We miss Wendell, and our hearts are broken, but we're making plans to see him again. www.RogersFuneralHomes.com