Wesslae "Tootsie" Wetherington's Obituary
Wesslae Mae Stead "Tootsie" Wetherington, 89, of Tallahassee, Florida, passed away peacefully on July 7, 2023.
Tootsie was born to Irene and John Stead on September 27, 1933, one of four daughters. She was raised in Tallahassee where she graduated from Leon High School (class of 1951). There, alongside her sisters, she was a cheerleader and made lifelong friends.
After attending the University of Florida, Tootsie married Capt. Dashwood Hicks, a naval aviator. They had one son, John Dashwood. Being stationed overseas gave them the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and Asia. Traveling and collecting would forever be important to Tootsie.
Upon her return to Tallahassee, Tootsie worked in the Florida Legislature, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida State Attorney's Office, from where she would eventually retire.
She is survived by her son, J.D. Hicks (Blake); grandchildren, Dash Hicks and Lanier Hicks; sisters, Judy Miner and Lindsay Gotshall; nieces, Jeanette Petersen (J.B.), Elisabeth Kano (Sameer), and Molly Wade (Chris); and nephews, Bubba Quilici and Chris Curry.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken Wetherington, and one sister, Betty Quilici.
While she loved meeting up with her Leon classmates and old co-workers, Tootsie was happiest at her mountain house in North Carolina surrounded by her friends and trusty companion, Charlie the dog. She and Ken planned and built their Hayesville home eventually spending half the year in the community they loved.
There will be no formal services. In lieu of flowers the family requests gifts may be made in her memory to Big Bend Hospice, www.bigbendhospice.org. The family would like to thank the staff at Centre Pointe Health and Rehabilitation for their care and attention.
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