Obituary: Wendy Vollertsen Mallory, 84, Of Greenwich

Obituary courtesy of Leo P. Gallagher Funeral Home

Wendy Vollertsen Mallory died peacefully on March 26, 2024 in Greenwich, CT, at the age of 84. Born in Evanston, IL to Jane (Griffith) and John E. Vollertsen on May 23, 1939, she grew up in Highland Park, IL where she attended Lincoln Elementary School and Highland Park High. She maintained close friendships with several kindergarten classmates until the end of her life.

Wendy graduated from Smith College in 1961 having majored in Religion and served as President of Morrow House Dormitory during her senior year. She met her husband, Joseph S. Mallory, in San Francisco, CA while he was pursuing a graduate degree at Stanford. They married in Highland Park on June 29, 1963.

The couple lived in Essex, CT, where Wendy taught fourth grade at Essex Elementary School. They resided briefly in Clifton, NJ, before settling in Riverside in 1968 and Greenwich in 1975. Wendy served on the boards of the Greenwich Family Center, the Smith College Club of Greenwich-Stamford, the North Street School PTA and in numerous other volunteer roles.

In later years Wendy and Joe took music courses at the Julliard School Evening Division. They also traveled widely, visiting concert halls and music festivals across Europe with fellow students and their professor, Michael White.

Wendy was drawn to beauty in all its forms and created it wherever she went, usually with others in mind. She designed beautiful spaces in Greenwich and New Harbor, ME which her family will enjoy for years to come. A devoted gardener, she loved “geraniums (red) and delphiniums (blue)” and cherished her bed of anemones in Maine. She loved Golden Retrievers and often had a crossword puzzle nearby.

Her family and friends knew her for her intelligence, judgment, strong values, ready sense of humor, and beautiful smile. She will be greatly missed.

In addition to Joe Mallory, her husband of 60 years, she is survived by her daughter Anne; son John (Tracy); grandchildren William, Caroline, Henry, and Jane; and brother Jack Vollertsen (Mary). The family will gather during the summer for a celebration of Wendy’s life.