Wendell was called home to join his parents Charlie and Myrtle Young Childs, and sisters Beverly Childs Jones and Nell Childs Johnson on April 15, 2023.
He was born at home in Logan, Ala. The family moved to Cullman while he was in grade school. A natural athlete, he excelled in baseball, football, and his favorite, basketball at Cullman High School. He was voted Mr. Cullman High School. And was class president two years in a row. He was a good student and excelled in Math and Science. His senior year his guidance counselor told him he should just go to a trade school and get a job and not worry about college. Instead, he went to Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University, on an ROTC Scholarship and graduated with a degree in Engineering Physics. He was the Cadet Colonel of the Army ROTC and after graduation was sent to Officer Candidate School to begin what became a distinguished 33-year career in the United States Army.
Wendell met the love of his life, Carol Poole Childs on a blind date his senior year and they were married after her graduation in 1956.
During his military career, he completed his master’s degree in Nuclear Physics at Stevens Institute of Technology and a PhD in Nuclear Physics from the University of Virginia. Twenty-six of his 32-year military career was spent at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he was an instructor, deputy head and head of the Physics Department. Upon his retirement from the Army as a Brigadier General, he relocated to Huntsville, Ala. and worked for Teledyne Brown Engineering. Wendell was one of the very first two Professor Emeritus at the U.S. Military Academy. Upon his retirement from TBE, Wendell and Carol located in Melbourne, Fla. for several years before returning to his hometown of Cullman. His last two years were spent close to family in Rome, Ga.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Poole Childs, of 67 years; his daughter, Cristy Edwards (Christopher) of Yellville, Ark.; son, Richard Childs (Cindy) of Rome, Ga., and son Scott Childs (Eric) of Sydney, Australia; grandchildren, Cristy Mason (Andrew), Katherine Glazer, Michael Edwards, Andrew Edwards (April), Emily Childs, Courtney Childs, Margot Childs and David Childs; great-grandchildren, Kamryn Mason, Hayleigh Mason, Charlotte Glazer, Alec Glazer, Sarah Mason and Andrew Mason.
A graveside service will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 3 p.m. at Cullman City Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Moss Service Funeral Home.
Floral arrangements may be sent to Moss Service Funeral Home or in lieu of flowers donations could be made to Auburn University Foundation (Department of Physics) at www.auburngiving.org or 317 South College Street Auburn, Alabama 36849 or the Wounded Warrior Project at support.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mossservicefh.com for the Childs family.
