Wendy Marie Fretwell

Wendy is survived by her mother Carol R. Fretwell of Coral Springs, Florida, and her father James W. Fretwell (his wife, Carla) of Port Orange, Florida; aunts Nancy R. Hill (Jan Adams) of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Betsy R. Heath (Ben R. Heath) of Indialantic, Florida; Sharon H. Fretwell (late John B. Fretwell) of Holly Ridge, North Carolina; John W. Hanes (late Susan R. Hanes) of Paoli, Pennsylvania; brother Jonathan F. Fretwell (Kristina A. Fretwell) of Deltona, Florida; and North Carolina cousins John B. Fretwell, Jr., Charles W. Fretwell (K. M. D. Fretwell), Erwin J. E. Fretwell (JoAnna Fretwell), Susan M. Fretwell, Laura M. Fretwell , Victoria A. F. Scott (Gregg Scott), and Hilary H. Morgan (Scott Morgan); Florida cousins Kim H. Bauer (Kevin Bauer), Ben R. Heath, Jr., and Jessica S. Hill; Puerto Rico cousins Mary H. Keller (David Keller); Indiana cousins John W. Hanes, Jr. (Joanna George Hanes); Ireland cousins Alexandra H. Madden (Brendan Madden); and Pennsylvania cousins Emily H. McDermott (Clay McDermott).

She was born in the U.S. Army Hospital in Nueremberg, Germany, and grew up in southern Palm Beach County. She attended Wee Wisdom Montessori and Unity School in Delray Beach, St. Joseph’s Episcopal School in Boynton Beach, and Potomac School and Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton.

Two weeks after she graduated from high school, she began freshman classes at the University of Tampa. She had worked a couple of different jobs during high school, generally one at a time, but on arrival in Tampa, she sped up the process, working up to three jobs at a time. As a Sports Management major, earning her Bachelor’s degree, she took advantage of opportunities to work in public affairs and facilities management for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), for the U.S. support team for the Pan American Games, as well as videographer and team manager for two of the University of Tampa’s NCAA teams. Years later, her grandfather who had grown up in New England and played for his college (Colby) team, introduced her to hockey. After the Florida Panthers joined the National Hockey League (NHL), she joined the Panther Booster Club, becoming an officer, which she had to give up when she became one of only 23 female off-ice officials for the NHL. On her way to the NHL, she was hired to coordinate and execute the various terms of all the sponsorship agreements for the Florida Beach Dogs, a professional basketball team of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), a team based in West Palm Beach for 2 years. From there, members of that booster club recruited her to work for Ocwen Financial Corporation, which eventually led her to work for Global Financial Advisory and in other professional administrative positions, including for Herzog Rail, eventually becoming the Executive Assistant to the City Manager of the City of Parkland.

She was a dancer, an athlete, and an entrepreneur. She had started lifelong loves of dance and athletics before she had finished second grade. Unlike most other girls with those young loves, she was an active dancer through college and even after, participating in some of Mrs. P’s programs right here in Coral Springs as an adult. She continued to play soccer throughout her youth, benefitting from coaching from retired players from Scotland and Middle Europe. The older she got, the more likely her teammates in the Delray Beach community league would be predominantly male. When she was 15, not only was she the only young woman on her soccer team, but she was red-carded one day when she had Barbizon modeling school later in the same day! A bit accident-prone right to the end, only repeated injuries forced her “retirement” from both dance and soccer.

She wrung the most out of life that she could. In addition to soccer, she also played softball and devoted 11 years to Girl Scouting, earning the Silver Award, the second-highest award in Girl Scouting.

As an adult, she embarked upon studies to become a wedding planner (founder, Events from the Heart), later expanding the concept to include events of all types, including day-long community meetings for the state about our coral reefs. She later co-founded a café (Robbins Nest Café) in Boynton Beach, after Hurricane Wilma.

She loved exploring history (and Disney World!) with friends and family, including any of her 14 cousins and/or dozens of their children. Above all, family was Number One to Wendy. She served as an officer of the local chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). In the half-century she shared with us, she was a very busy girl, building friendships and mutual respect with people from many parts of the world and varied backgrounds. Her many friends included professional athletes, politicians, sports fans, and lifelong friends who had been classmates from each school age.

A Memorial Service and Life Celebration will be conducted from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, including a formal service also available live online at :

https://youtu.be/JWBGpKgM9B4

https://youtu.be/gk2MhDq5ZVQ

beginning at 6 p.m. All are invited to stay after the service for light refreshments with fellowship and reminiscences. The location is Kraeer Funeral Home, 1655 University Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33071. In lieu of flowers, the family requests private donations be made in her name to the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, or any other breast-cancer research or support group. Further details are available by calling the funeral home at (954) 753-8960.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kraeercoralsprings.com for the Fretwell family.