Wendy Sue Shreve's Obituary
Wendy Sue (James) Shreve, 70, of Tallahassee went to be with her Heavenly Father on Monday, October 21, 2024 after suffering for 15+ years from vascular dementia. For the past four years Wendy was a resident of Azalea Gardens, a memory care and assisted living facility in Tallahassee. For the past several months she was also under the care of VITAS Hospice. Wendy was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Margaret (Dusa) James.
Wendy was born June 6, 1954 in Torrance, California and grew-up in Blissfield, Michigan. On August 14, 1976 Wendy married her high school sweetheart Dale Shreve. Wendy said when she first saw Dale get off the school bus at Blissfield Jr High she knew that was who she was going to marry. While living in the Toledo, OH area they raised two children, Eric Shreve and Emily (Shreve) Becker. They were also blessed with four grandchildren: Eric and Adrianne’s sons Lowell (15) and Henry (13) who reside in Ottawa Hills, OH; and Emily and Brandon’s daughter Ella (15) and son Eian (14) who live in St. Augustine, FL. Wendy is also survived by her brother Brian James (Santa Fe, NM) and her sister Linda Sharp (Pocatello, ID) and Linda’s two children Benjamin Sharp and Victoria (Sharp) Cooper.
All Wendy ever wanted to be was a nurse. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from The Toledo Hospital School of Nursing in June 1975 and started work immediately in The Toledo Hospital Intensive Care Unit. Once Eric and Emily were older, Wendy returned to school and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lourdes College, Sylvania, OH and her Masters of Science in Nursing from the Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH. She was completing her Doctor of Philosophy of Science in Nursing at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI when the on-set of her dementia symptoms prevented her from completing her dissertation.
Wendy was proud to be a nurse. She loved bedside care (Intensive Care, Open Heart Recovery, and Trauma). She cared for patients at The Toledo Hospital (Toledo, OH), St Vincent Medical Center (Toledo, OH) and Medical College of Ohio (Toledo, OH) St Joseph Hospital (Ann Arbor, MI) Bixby Hospital (Adrian, MI). Wendy was passionate about finding ways to deliver better care which led her to also focus on nursing research, publishing (first RN author to publish in a physician oriented medical journal), teaching nursing students, and she was frequently invited to speak at national conventions. Wendy’s professional credentials included NCLEX Item Writer and Reviewer, ATLS Coordinator, ACLS Provider, CMS Med-Surg Certification and CCRN Certification.
In addition to her nursing profession Wendy put a lot of energy into being a wife and mother. Wendy served as her kid’s room mother, school fundraising coordinator, Sunday School teacher, Brownie Leader and was a fan and proud momma at Eric’s sporting events and Emily’s ballet performances. She also enjoyed introducing her kids to Hungarian and English foods and those cultures whom she herself had learned from her Grandmothers. This translated into many good meals and many fun memories of making Christmas cookies and cabbage rolls. In 2013 Wendy willingly left the Toledo area she had called home for decades and relocated to Tallahassee, FL with Dale as he took on the CEO position for Mental Health Corporations of America.
One of the things we will always remember about Wendy is her amazing wit, ability to read any genre of book, (including historical non-fiction), and her zest for learning anything and everything. Whether she was making the kids a costume or clothes, crocheting the grandkids stuffed animals or quilting them blankets, there was not much she couldn’t accomplish when she set her mind to it. She made it all look easy with a smile on her face, and usually a good quip. Family was important to her whether near or far and she felt comfort knowing they were always there for her. Wendy’s faith was also important to her. She was a member of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Toledo, OH.
Years ago when Dale asked Wendy to help plan her funeral Wendy realized that logistically it might not be possible to get people together for a funeral/memorial service. She suggested we set a day and time for friends and family from across the country to reflect on their memories of her and light a candle in her memory. We ask that you reserve Wednesday, November 20th at 7:00pm ET for this time of reflection on Wendy’s life. You are also encouraged to leave condolences and fond memories here, on her Lifesong Tribute.
The family kindly requests memorial contributions to support student scholarships for nursing students at Lourdes University. Donations may be made online:
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1937/lg21-form/form.aspx?sid=1937&gid=2&pgid=418&cid=1063
or by sending a check to Lourdes University at 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania OH 43650. Questions may be directed to Scott Wills, Vice President of Advancement ([email protected] / 419-302-9828)
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