Wendy Anne Smith of Joelton, TN passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on March 10, 2024. Wendy leaves behind a legacy of tenacity in her work, a passion for nature, and a void for her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lindsey Smith-Trostle, her sister, Darleen Tidwell, and her parents, Joe and Eileen Smith. Wendy is survived by her husband of 44 years, Greg Trostle, her nieces Michelle Tidwell, LeShane Tidwell, and Jessi Compton and nephew Michael Tidwell along with a vast extended family, devoted friends and admirers and her beloved dog, Cordelia, and cats Sweetie Kitty and FooFoo.
Wendy entered this world on January 11, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan. Even before graduating from high school, her determined spirit shone as she advocated for women’s rights to wear pants in school. This bold defiance against authority became a hallmark of her character, echoing throughout her impactful career in conservation, reproductive health and equal rights for women. She actively protested the Vietnam War, though supported the troops, earning herself a modest FBI file of which she was very proud.
After graduating from the University of Michigan’s School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wendy found her way to East Tennessee where she crossed paths with her future husband, Greg. Together, they welcomed their beloved daughter, Lindsey, into the world. Wendy worked for organizations such as the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, Planned Parenthood, and later in Nashville, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Transitioning to the private sector, Wendy found a deep friendship and creative outlet in video production but once again returned to her passion of conservation, co-directing the Cumberland River Compact and leading the World Wildlife Fund’s Southeast Rivers and Streams Program. She rejoined the Cumberland River Compact and later served as a consultant for the Global Sanctuary for Elephants before retiring due, in part, to renal cancer.
Wendy’s passions included reading, writing, drawing, quilting, and traveling (especially her annual beach trips with her girlfriends) and listening to her husband, Greg, play pedal steel guitar. She loved plants, especially trees, and could see stories in the clouds.
In lieu of flowers, her husband kindly asks that donations be made to Planned Parenthood or a local conservation organization and that you learn to recognize at least five plants or birds in Wendy’s honor.
AUSTIN & BELL FUNERAL HOME in Pleasant View is in charge of these arrangements. 6316 Highway 41A, Pleasant View, Tennessee 37146 (615) 746-4433 www.austinandbell.com
