Robert Charles Wetzel, or R.C. to his family and friends, was born on Friday, September 7, 1962 in Grand Prairie, Tarrant County, Texas. There was a severe thunderstorm in progress during his birth.

He, along with his younger Siblings, John Adam; and Janie Lynnette were born at the Great Southwest Hospital just across the Dallas / Tarrant county line. The hospital later became a Senior Care Facility, and finally was torn down in the late 1980’s.

The oldest of 3 children born to Charles Wayne Wetzel & Linda Sue Toles Wetzel, he was “Talking like a grown up” by the age of 2. It seemed to be a gift because in May 1986 at the age of 23 he was Ordained as a Baptist Minister and became the Pastor of the Victory Baptist Church, Irving, Texas.

Later that year he would perform his first Wedding Ceremony when John Adam Wetzel and Cassandra Bayse were married.

From his birth until age 6 his family lived on the North side of Grand Prairie. They then moved to the “new” side of town near Beltline Rd. (FM 1382) and Marshall Drive.  R.C. attended the Ben Milam Elementary School.  Later, the Andrew Jackson Jr. High School, and Graduated from South Grand Prairie High School in May of 1981.

In 1979 he met  Tana Lorree Kimsey, a co-worker at the Skaggs-Albertson Grocery Store. She was a Cashier and he was a Courtesy Clerk He was immediately attracted to her fiery red hair.  R.C. called her “My Cute Little Red Head Girl”.  After a 3 year courtship, the two eloped on Thursday, September 10, 1981.  R.C. was 19 and Tana was 22 years old. They were married at about 2:30 pm in the Old Dallas County Courthouse by the Justice of the Peace.  Afterwards the two of them drove back to R.C.’s parents house in Grand Prairie where he went in and she went to her parents home in Arlington.

When he walked in the door, his mother Linda looked at him and said “Ya’ll just got married, didn’t you!” R.C. confessed, then changed clothes and went to his overnight job as a welder. He punched in at 4:30 pm and worked until 3:00pm the next day.

After a shower and change of clothes he drove to Tana’s parents house (where she was living) and broke the news to her parents. “They weren’t too happy about it. Her mother, when told of the union, repeatedly said; “Y’all are NOT married until I see the License”. It had been kept by the Justice of the Peace in Dallas to be recorded. They would not get it for another 30 days.

After a good bit of family drama. R.C. asked Tana “Well, are you going with me? Or, are you staying here?” They left together and drove to an apartment that they had already furnished there in Arlington, Texas.

The following Sunday afternoon the two newlyweds were invited to have supper with her parents. They seemed to have accepted the idea, as things went well.