Wendy Etta Woods Goldrich

Wendy Etta Woods Goldrich, 56, passed away at her home in Hurricane, Utah, surrounded by loved ones, on August 18, 2025, after a valiant battle with cancer.

“Who’s tripping down the streets of the city, smiling at everybody she sees? Who’s reaching out to capture a moment? Everyone knows its Windy.”

Our Wendy fits those verses from the song that was popular when she was born. She had a kind spirit, didn’t like confrontation, and tried never to hurt anybody’s feelings. She would see the good in people, believed in second chances, and had a forgiving heart. She couldn’t understand how people could be mean to each other or make money more important than honesty and integrity.

Wendy was born in Escondido, California on July 2, 1969 to Howard Wesley Woods and Gretchen Louise Halbig Woods. When Wendy was 7 year old, the family, which now included her younger brother, Joshua, moved from California to beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming. Wendy grew up riding horses, feeding cattle, raising sheep, changing sprinkler lines, catching bull heads with a fork in Willow Creek, harnessing calves to a wagon for an exciting ride, snowmobiling or tubing in the winter. Wendy also helped with the harvesting of the hay crop, learning to drive while her parents and Joshua loaded hay on a flat bed truck. She helped fix fence, helped in the garden and learned how to can fruit and make jam. Wendy’s love of reading came from listening to her mom read to the family around the fireplace in the evenings.

One summer, Wendy and her mother collected plants off of their mountain and learned what they were good for medicinally. She used the information she gained for her school science project the next year and won the blue ribbon for best entry.

After moving to Wyoming, she and her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Young Women’s Wendy learned about being a good babysitter. She loved children and they loved her. This love of children continued with her and she went to college to become a school teacher. However, she didn’t like the limitations the schools put on teachers. She became a nanny for a while and then opened her own childcare/preschool. She was very successful and made a good living and name for herself, both in California and later in Hurricane.

Wendy met her husband, Joey Alan Goldrich, while she was in college. They became the parents of three wonderful children, Sarah, Wesley, and Jacob.

Wendy lived through some hard times. Her husband had a stoke and lost some of his eye sight, became disabled, and wasn’t able to work anymore. She also lost her 6 year old, Jacob, to a brain tumor.

Wendy moved to Hurricane in 2018, next to her parents and had enough land to raise chickens, cats, ducks, goats for milking, bunnies, a cow, a tortoise, a horse, and some dogs. She raised Golden Doodles for a while, which she trained and sold to many famous people. She was well known for her dogs.

Sarah married Austin Lalanne after returning from her mission and they moved next to Wendy in a tiny house that was built by Wendy and her father. Sarah and Austin have blessed Wendy’s life with 4 beautiful grandchildren. Wendy loved being Nana and helping Sarah with the little ones. They were her greatest treasure.

Wendy was a happy, vibrant, intelligent, and humble woman. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a love for life and people. She lived an amazing life in just 56 short years.

Wendy is survived by her husband, Joey Goldrich; her parents, Howard and Gretchen Woods; her children Sarah (Austin) Lalanne, Wesley Goldrich; her brothers Joshua (Genevie)Woods, James (Halie)Woods, sisters Katie Woods, Stephanie (Tyson) Watkins, Kelly (Sunny) Richardson; and her grandchildren, Braxton, Porter, Rose, and Ivy.

She was preceded in death by her paternal and maternal grandparents and her son, Jacob.

Funeral services for Wendy were held in Hurricane, Utah on August 23, 2025. Graveside services were held in Grover, Wyoming on August 26, 2025.