Anita Wendt   (Social Studies - South Intermediate School)
1920 - 2009

Anita Wendt of Saline, Michigan Formerly of Saginaw Anita died suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at the age of 88. She was born July 29, 1920, in St. Joseph, Michigan, to Emil and Emily Weimann. Marked from her earliest years by a fierce determination to achieve whatever she set her mind to, she was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from what was then Western Michigan Teachers' College as a speech therapist and protege of stuttering specialist Dr. Charles Van Riper. She subsequently practiced as a speech therapist in the school systems of Holland, St. Joseph, and Saginaw, Michigan, finishing her career in education as a social studies teacher in Saginaw, where she also completed an MA degree from the University of Michigan.

While working in Holland, Anita married her high-school sweetheart, Arthur B. Wendt; they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on April 25th, 2008, and he survives her. She is also survived by her three children, Christine of Saline, Susan Wendt - Hildebrandt (Kai Hildebrandt) of Windsor, Ontario, and Tim Wendt (Mary Lou Solecki) of Oakland, California; as well as by four grandchildren, Saskia Hildebrandt (David Borman) of Winnipeg, Manitoba; Katia Hildebrandt (Ned Bartlett) of Baltimore, Maryland; Diana Wendt of Hanover, New Hampshire; and Christopher Wendt of Oakland, California. She also leaves behind a sister, Alice Burroughs of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, having been preceded in death by a sister, Alma Ollhoff, and a brother, Alfred Weimann.

Anita's passion to teach was matched by her passion for music, and her twelve years of piano lessons bore special fruit after all of her children were in college and she decided it was time to become an organist. In time she served as organist at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Saginaw, and when she and Art retired to Saline they attended Holy Faith Church and she served as substitute organist there as well. Her children treasure their many memories of times gathered around the piano with their mother at the keyboard and the rest of the family harmonizing through song after song.