SARASOTA, Fla. – Wendy (Coffin) Mendenhall, of Sarasota, Fla., quietly passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 10, surrounded by family and friends, after a brief, but courageous battle with cancer.

Always a cheerful smile, always helping others, always the life of the party, she touched the lives of many people during her lifetime and we will all miss her dearly.

Wendy was born in Lewiston on Jan. 23, 1959, the daughter of Gerald and Rose (Stevens) Coffin, formerly of Auburn and currently of North Port, Fla.

Wendy grew up in Auburn and attended Edward Little High School, graduating in the Class of 1977.

She worked at a variety of jobs in this area, including Chicken of Maine and the Video Store, both on Center Street in Auburn. She spent many years prior to her move to Florida at Blackie’s Farm Fresh Produce on Minot Avenue, where she was loved by the Labbe family and their customers alike.

Wendy was a long-time member of the Carlton Club in Lewiston, where she especially enjoyed Sunday race days. While in Florida, Wendy worked at Heritage Oaks Golf Club with a long-time family friend, Cindy Ricker, formerly of Auburn. Her favorite watering hole in Florida was the Tiki Bar in Osprey, Fla., where her friends held fund-raisers to help her through the past few months.

Wendy is survived by her parents; sisters, Nolene “Binky” Coffin, of Minot, and Nancy Lecompte, of Lewiston; daughters, Shanan Mendenhall, of Lewiston, and Stacy Mendenhall, of Jay; nieces, Jennifer (Bement) Van Valkenburg, of Auburn, Julie Bement, of Hubbard Lake, Mich., Jackie Bement, of Lewiston, Deanna (Jordan) Bussiere, of Lewiston, and Allison Jordan, of Minot; two grandnieces; a grandnephew; her friend and companion, Carl Hallock, of Lewiston; her beloved cat, “Smokey,” who loved to go on evening walks with her; and many friends, both here and in Florida, far too numerous to mention, but no less important in her life.

She was predeceased by her maternal and paternal grandparents; and a sister, Mrs. Raymond (Bonnie Jean Coffin) Bement, of Auburn and Alpena, Mich., who passed away in February of 2001.

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