Lasting Memories

Wendy Margaret Wood
May 25, 1962-July 4, 2023
Half Moon Bay, California

We are heartbroken to share news of the sudden death of our beloved younger sister, Wendy Wood, who passed away on the 4th of July following a stroke.

Wendy Margaret Wood was born on May 25, 1962 at Stanford Hospital to the late Bob and Barbara Wood of Menlo Park. Wendy was the youngest of three daughters. She was a spunky, curious, creative child who loved the outdoors. She was a strong reader, and would walk home from school up the steep hills of Sharon Heights with her nose in a book. Wendy was a competitive gymnast throughout grade school. She was a ball of muscle and when practicing backflips, she’d soar high above the other gymnasts.

Wendy attended La Entrada Middle School and Woodside High School where she acted in school plays, participated in student government, and was a cheerleader. Following graduation from UC Santa Barbara, Wendy’s spirit of adventure landed her in Lake Tahoe and Whistler, BC where she taught skiing and was a great role model for aspiring skiers.

Wendy lived in San Francisco for many years, where she worked in catering and earned a baking certificate from the California Culinary Academy. Her next stop was St. Petersburg, Florida, where she and her boyfriend started a subscription-based newsletter with lifestyle tips for people over 50.

In 2015, Wendy returned to Menlo Park to care for our elderly parents, bringing joy and enrichment to their lives. She hosted birthday and holiday celebrations and planned visits to Filoli, Cantor Arts Center, Gamble Gardens, Allied Arts, Carmel, and to plays at local theaters. She also initiated trips to Pollock Pines to visit our father’s beloved sister, Margaret Wyman. In her spare time, Wendy could be found in the kitchen producing a fresh batch of cookies, trying out a new soup recipe, or pulling a casserole from the freezer to feed friends and family.

Wendy loved to travel and throughout her life, she visited many U.S. destinations, Europe, and Mexico City. One of her favorite journeys was a trip to Cuba with our father, where she fell in love with renowned artist Frida Kahlo. Fittingly, her final adventure was a ski trip to Lake Tahoe with her beloved dog, Belle Star.

Wendy was beautiful, passionate, free-spirited and she made friends easily. She was often the brightest light in the room. She had moved to Half Moon Bay following the death of our father in April of this year. Although Wendy had struggled throughout her life, she was enjoying her new phase at the coast when she left us way too soon. She will be remembered for her creativity, boundless energy, and generosity.

Wendy is survived by her sisters, Carol Arvidsson (Pär), Sally Wood Williams (Mark), nephews Erik Arvidsson, Karl Arvidsson, Jackson Williams and niece, Elissa Williams. She is survived by her best friend, Mimi Roosli, her “forever friend”, Doug Goldberg, many life long friends and her beloved family at St. Bedes Episcopal Church in Menlo Park. A Celebration of Life will take place on October 8th at 5pm at Filoli Gardens in Woodside. In lieu of flowers, the family is grateful for donations in Wendy’s name to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley.