By Isle of Wight Observer
A memorial service is to be held for the late Wendy Lohse at St James’ Church, Yarmouth, next Saturday (September 21) at 1pm.
American Wendy, a qualified chef, moved to Yarmouth with young son Kroy following her divorce and started a new life using her culinary skills by joining a catering company and working in local schools.
At first, she floated from one school to another, criss-crossing over most of the Island but eventually landed a permanent job at Shalfleet Primary School. She competed in the prestigious national cooking competition School Chef of The Year (SCOTY) and was a finalist for three consecutive years. Because of her association with the competition and her recognised culinary skills, she was invited to cook for the soldiers and volunteers attending the funeral of the late Queen.
Unfortunately, just as she was preparing her entry for the 2023 SCOTY competition she was diagnosed with an aggressive and terminal form of lung cancer, and was given less than six months to live.
She began her treatment on the Island, but realising her time was slipping away, she decided to move back to California where the opportunity of other medical treatments offered her a chance of extending her life a little longer meaning she could spend more time with Kroy.
That move extended her life for an additional year in which she was able to share some memorable moments with her beloved son.