Wendy Ivie Maher, 51, passed away on December 31, 2021, surrounded by her loving family, after a long, courageous battle with breast cancer.

Wendy was born on January 25, 1970 to David and Saundra Ivie in the town of Hailey, Idaho, located in the beautiful Wood River Valley, near the ski resort of Sun Valley. Her family owned and operated the local sawmill. Wendy, along with Stacy, her older brother by two years, spent their childhoods in an idyllic, small-town mountain setting. Wendy grew up riding horses, hiking, competing in skiing and gymnastics and, as most small-town kids do, worked various jobs at the family business and in the community. She graduated from Wood River High School in 1988, before moving to Boise where she worked full time to put herself through college. She graduated from Boise State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. After college, Wendy bought a house in Boise, where she lived for several years, before meeting Steve, the love of her life, whom she married in 1997 and relocated to be with him in Winter Park, Florida. There she worked at the Downtown YMCA, and later at Orlando Regional Medical Center as an Exercise Physiologist in the Cardiac Rehab Unit.

In September of 1998, her first child Michael was born. Her daughter Ivie was born in May of 2001. Being a mother was Wendy's greatest joy and accomplishment. Wendy loved her kids tremendously and worked hard to impart her incredible strength and wisdom to them. She certainly succeeded. Michael is currently a senior at Northeastern University in Boston majoring in Civil Engineering, and will be returning to Winter Park after graduation. Ivie is a junior at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is majoring in Political Science.

Wendy embraced the Winter Park community, and made many dear friends during her 26 years there. Besides the many charitable causes she supported, she played team tennis for many years where she built incredible friendships and left lasting memories at the Winter Park Racquet Club, and later at Interlachen Country Club.

Despite her love for Winter Park, she never lost her connection to the Wood River Valley, and kept her roots firmly planted there. She maintained close contact with her lifelong friends and would visit and travel with them frequently. Wendy spent every summer with her children in Idaho; allowing them to get to know her friends, their kids, and the very special childhood that she, herself, had experienced growing up there.

In 2015, as the kids began to grow older, Wendy decided to try her hand in real estate sales. She obtained her real estate license and within a short time became one of the top producers at Premier Sotheby's International Real Estate in Winter Park.

Wendy loved to travel. She traveled to Europe several times as well as Southeast Asia, Central America and extensively in North America (including Alaska) and Hawaii.

Wendy was a lifelong animal lover. Her dogs, cat and horse were a source of profound joy to her.
For many years she kept her beloved "Dreamer", a retired thoroughbred, who, in his younger years, had won a few races (including at Churchill Downs). Her personal refuge was "Lake Howell Farms" a nearby, very simple horse barn which she shared with several equine enthusiasts known amongst themselves as the "horse ladies". Each week Wendy would spend many hours there riding and grooming Dreamer, doing maintenance around the barn, and caring for and feeding the horses, as well as Banjo the barn cat.

Wendy is survived by her husband of 25 years, Steve, and their two children, Michael (23) and Ivie (20), all of Winter Park, Florida; her loving parents, David and Saundra Ivie of Minden, Nevada; and her beloved brother Stacy Ivie and his wife Debbie of Winter Park, her father and mother-in-law, Michael and Diane Maher, of Winter Park, and sister-in-law Michele Maher of Pacific Palisades, California. She will forever live on in the hearts of her family and friends, and all who knew and loved her. Wendy will never be forgotten and will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, gentle spirit and kind heart.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of two organizations that provide horse therapy for individuals with disabilities. One is in Winter Park, Florida and the other is in Idaho's Wood River Valley. Donations can be made either online or mailed to the physical addresses.
• Freedom Ride, 1905 Lee Road, Winter Park, FL 32810 www.freedomride.com
• Swiftsure Ranch, 114 Calypso Lane, Bellevue, ID 83313 www.swiftsureranch.org

There will be a Celebration of Wendy's Life on Friday, January 7, 2022 from 4pm to 6pm at Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park, FL.

The family of Wendy Ivie Maher invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in her loving memory.