Royal Frederick Wentworth III

Royal Frederick Wentworth III, 53, of 13 Asbury Place, passed away unexpectedly Monday, September 10, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa. He died doing what he loved, running with his cross country team. A funeral mass will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, September 15, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 302 5th Street SE with Rev. Neil Manternach, celebrant. Following the mass, cremation will take place with private family inurnment in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. A Scriptural Wake service will be held at 3:30 PM. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 PM Friday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Memorials may be directed to the Royal Wentworth Memorial Fund. Royal was born February 28, 1959 in Mason City, the son of Royal Sr. and Beverly Wentworth. He was baptized and confirmed at Holy Family Catholic Church. Royal graduated from Newman Catholic High School in 1977 and Briar Cliff College in 1981. He received his Master’s Degree from St. Mary’s University in 1996. While attending Briar Cliff College, he met the love of his life, Maria Lynn Meshek, who was also a Briar Cliff student. They were married October 4, 1980 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll, Iowa. Royal and Maria were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Kristin and Courtney. They were his ultimate pride and joy. He loved his family beyond measure. Royal began his teaching and coaching career at his alma mater, Newman Catholic. He taught middle school social studies there for 19 years. In 2001, he became a teacher in the Mason City Community School district, first Roosevelt Middle School, then at John Adams Middle School. He was proud to be a Mohawk. Royal was an enormously gifted teacher and a tremendous role model. He had a talent for making every student feel important. Teaching wasn’t a job to Royal, it was his passion. He taught hundreds of his students about more than just social studies, quietly touching their lives, and teaching them about life. Royal was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the North Iowa Officials Association, Iowa High School Athletic Association, and the Mason City Education Association. Athletics were a huge part of Royal’s entire life. He coached cross country and football and was a high school girls and boys basketball official. He shared a brotherhood with his two refereeing partners, Dave Cicetti and Randy Fishels. He coached his daughters’ softball and basketball teams as they were growing up. For many years Royal was a basketball official for the Iowa Games and a volunteer official for North Iowa Area Community College and the Iowa Hall of Pride Challenge. Along with his wife, he was a big fan of Iowa State. The Cyclone plates on his car read “REFNRUN.” He was an avid runner, and he also enjoyed listening to music, walking the family dog Lexis and “grand dogs” Tucker and Finley, boating and fishing in Canada with his brothers, hanging out in his driveway with the “Men of Asbury Place” hashing out game scores, predicting the weather, and solving the world’s problems. Royal was kind, gentle, caring, loving, selfless, and always smiling. He was devoted to his wife and daughters, and to his family and his students, who always came first in his life. He would always greet you with his full-of-life voice, and he was quick with a big hug. He was fun-loving with his family, friends, and students. Royal had a huge heart of gold. To his wife Maria, he was first a prince and always a king, living up to his given name—Royal—always a true gentleman, father, son, brother, friend, and mentor. Royal is survived by his loving wife Maria, precious daughters Kristin of Waterloo and Courtney of Mason City, parents Royal Sr. (“Bud”) and Beverly Wentworth of Mason City, two brothers Michael (Connie) Wentworth of Omaha, Nebraska, Craig (Kathy) Wentworth of Omaha, Nebraska, two sisters Melody (Walt) Pearce of Mason City, Traci (Steve) Kieffer of Ogden, Iowa, many nieces and nephews, and enough friends to fill the Cyclones’ football stadium. Waiting for him in Heaven is his sister, Lori Wentworth-Kruger. A bright light has gone out on Earth but a new star is shining in Heaven. Royal’s life will always be remembered and never forgotten through the beautiful gift of organ and tissue donation.

Visitation:
At St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Royal Wentworth Memorial Fund