Wendy Lee Hoefs passed away peacefully on August 18, 2026, surrounded by family, after battling leukemia for a second time. Wendy was born January 18, 1967 to Lorraine (Peterson) and Harvey Hoefs in Grantsburg, WI, the town she would call home for the next 59 years. The second of four children, and only daughter, she attended Grantsburg public schools. After graduating high school in 1985, Wendy enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1989. She would soon return to the Grantsburg school district to embark on a 30+ year career teaching a variety of grades.

Wendy’s home room was legendary for bursting with information and activities that were constantly changing to reflect current seasons, holidays, and events. For Wendy, her dedication to teaching extended beyond the school day. She was regularly found working in her classroom late into evenings, over weekends, and during holiday breaks busily grading work and updating her room during the regular school year and summer school.

Wendy loved adventure and enjoyed traveling to far away destinations including New Zealand, Mexico, and the Caribbean as well as domestic excursions to North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Florida, and Arizona. Wendy’s talents were numerous including: Origami, Paper Making, Baking Cookies, Cake Decorating, Hatching Eggs, Horseback Riding, Releasing Butterflies, Sewing Quilts, Whitewater Rafting, Playing Wallyball, Flower Arranging, Skipping Rocks, Being the Best Aunt Ever, and living life to the fullest. Wendy was tenacious in everything she faced. In spite of enduring four rounds of cancer in her lifetime, she remained steadfast in her faith, knowing the inevitable end was merely the beginning of her next extraordinary adventure.

Wendy was preceded in death by her father, Harvey Hoefs and her beloved dog, Allie O’Malley.

She is dearly missed by her mother, Lorraine Hoefs, brothers Scott Hoefs, Gene (Jen) Hoefs and family (Wyatt and Hannah), and Brian (Suzanne) Hoefs and family (Emma, Charlie, Clare, and Annie), as well as numerous extended family members, friends, and co-workers. The family extends special thanks to Mary Hinrichs and Lucy Myers for countless hours and miles driving Wendy to and from appointments and Rick Leffelman for helping out with tasks too numerous to mention.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m.

Pallbearers: Wyatt Harvey Hoefs, Hannah Mae Hoefs, Emma Louise Hoefs, Charlie James Hoefs, Clare Elizabeth Hoefs, and Annie Rose Hoefs.

The Swedberg-Taylor Family Funeral Homes have been entrusted with arrangements.