Karen Maurleen Wendt

Karen Maurleen Wendt passed away peacefully on November 1, 2025, at home in Lander, Wyoming, surrounded by her family. She was born September 16, 1942, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to Maurice Henry and Anna May Tripp Henry. She was raised on the Henry Ranch in Robertson, Wyoming, alongside her brother Garie Maurice and sister Carma Jean, who continue to live on the family ranch. She was preceded in death by her sister, Becky May Henry, in 1955. Karen's early life was marked by curiosity, hard work, and a close-knit family. She was "range raised," and from the moment she could climb onto a horse, she was out working the ranch. Her first horse, Taxi, carried her through those long days of work and wonder.

Karen graduated as valedictorian from Mountain View High School in 1960, where she played trumpet in the school band and performed taps at military memorials. Her love of learning and knowledge never left her. After high school, she attended Steven Heniger's Business School in Ogden, Utah, with her lifelong friends Kay Hunt and Mary Ellen Erickson. She began her career as a secretary in Salt Lake City and later moved to Rock Springs, where she met her future husband, Patrick Wendt. They were married on August 5, 1966, in Rock Springs and made their home across Wyoming, raising their family in Lander, Casper, and Rock Springs before eventually retiring in Lander. Patrick preceded Karen in death in 2020.

Karen's true calling emerged through her service to others. She became a registered nurse and later returned to school to become a nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife. Over her long career, she helped hundreds of families across Wyoming and Utah welcome their children into the world. She liked to say that she "caught" more than 1,000 babies over her lifetime. Her compassion, skill, and fierce advocacy for women's health made her a beloved figure in every community she touched.

Even after retiring from her midwifery practice in 2013, Karen continued her life's mission of caring for others. She helped found the Lander Free Clinic, serving as a donor, board member, and advocate for free healthcare. She firmly believed that everyone, regardless of their income, background, or location, deserved access to quality medical care. Her dedication to rural families and her fight for health equity and women's rights made her a true trailblazer in Wyoming healthcare.

Karen is survived by her children: Monica Smith of Salt Lake City, Utah, and her grandchildren Kai, Savannah, and Cheyenne, and great-grandchild Ira; Jeff Wendt (wife Kate) of Pinedale, Wyoming, and their children Henry, Emmett, and Maura; and Adam Wendt (wife Elise) of Eugene, Oregon, and their children Shabir, Ramyia, and Kahlil. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly, and who loved her just as deeply.

Karen will be remembered for her courage, her stubbornness, her laughter, and her love of Wyoming and its people, regardless of their skin color, sex, political affiliation, or breed of cattle they raised. She gave everything she had to her family, her patients, and her community.

Karen requested no public service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Karen's name to the Lander Free Clinic, continuing her legacy of caring for others: https://qrco.de/Kwendt

Please sign the online gustbook: hudsonsfh.com.

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