Wendy Webb Ketchum

On December 6, 2021, Wendy snagged the last standby first class seat on Delta to an unknown destination, with a change of plane in Atlanta, of course. Her nearly 5-year quarrel with neuroendocrine cancer came to an end. Catching earlier flights were husband Gary in 2014, her parents Thomas and Dorothy Webb, and brother David Paul Webb.

She is survived by stepsons Peter V. Ketchum (and wife Elena Paras Ketchum) of Tampa and John Ketchum of Hudson; her brother Thomas C. Webb of Tallahassee and sister Linda Webb Nipper (and husband Edward Nipper) of Arcadia; sister-in-law Kay Ketchum McNinch of Richmond, TX; two wonderful aunts, Shirley Murray of Chestertown, MD and Lucy Leonard of San Diego; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Born in Easton, Maryland on October 5, 1947, her family moved to Arcadia, Florida in 1960. She married Richard Walden while in college in 1966. She lived in Madrid, Spain for 3 years before returning to the states and Tampa where she modeled and taught at Models International; and worked in Public Relations for the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority at the then new Tampa International Airport. She began her career with Delta Air Lines in 1972 spending 22 years in the Tampa and Atlanta marketing and graphic production offices. She married Gary Ketchum in 1979 and moved to Tallahassee, retiring from Delta there in 1995. Other occupations included real estate, art gallery assistant and growing grapes in Jefferson County for wine at Lafayette Vineyards and Winery, of which Gary was a founding partner. She began her next career in the bridge design and construction engineering world, spending 17 years at Finley Engineering Group before retiring once again in 2016.

Wendy was known for her humor, colorful language, good cooking, and love of travel. Her trips with family and friends took her to all parts of the United States, Europe and the Caribbean, with destinations chosen mainly for the food and wine. Museums, gardens and cathedrals were thrown in to pass the time between meals. She was also able to travel to Mexico and Canada several times before the erection of any major border walls.

Wendy collected original art all her life and it was as important to her as a grilled butterflied leg of lamb with a fine pinot noir. So was reading, gardening (she filled in her pool to plant perennials), basset hounds and binge-watching pirated Turkish TV shows and movies. Don’t ask.

Besides her beloved Gary, the mainstays throughout her life were her sister and brother and steadfast friends Mary Ann (they spoke nearly every day for over 50 years) and Jim Free, Debbie and Matt Chester, Pam and Bill Powell and Jeff Duvall and Stuart Riordan, who all brought so much laughter and joy to her life. But a special place in her heart was held by son Pete and his wife Elena for their good humor, love, support and fearless travel companionship.

A private graveside service will be held at Roselawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Big Bend Hospice, The Alzheimer’s Project, or The Angelus (Hudson, FL) in Wendy’s memory will be most welcomed. Now, please, go home and cook a fantastic dinner for someone you love.