Maureen Rockenfeller

Maureen Wendy Rockenfeller, 55, of Boulder City, Nevada, passed peacefully from this life on February 8, 2012. Wendy was born in Buffalo, New York, to Freda and Russell Willan on March 11, 1956. Her family moved to Toronto, Canada, when she was 2-years old and she lived there until she was a young adult.

Wendy returned to the United States in 1979, settling briefly in San Diego, California, before moving to Boulder City. Wendy was employed as a travel consultant at Boulder City Travel where she earned the professional designation of Certified Travel Consultant from the National Institute of Certified Travel Agents. While working at Boulder City Travel she met her husband, Uwe, and they were married in 1992. After 12 years at Boulder City Travel, she moved to Prestige Travel/Carlson Travel Network where she specialized in corporate travel as well as vacation planning and also taught travel classes.

Wendy left the travel industry to dedicate herself to being a full-time wife and mother to her daughter, Kirsten, and son, Justin. While raising her family, she attended college and earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Travel & Tourism from Community College of Southern Nevada (now the College of Southern Nevada) in May of 2005. In addition, she cared deeply about her community and was involved in several civic and social organizations including the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Boulder City Sunrise Rotary, and Boulder City Chamber of Commerce in order to help build a better community. She was also an active member of the Nevada Democratic Party and had a key role in the campaign efforts for many Democratic candidates seeking local, state, and national offices.

After being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, Wendy traveled to Washington, D.C., as the Nevada ALS representative to help raise funds for ALS research. The highlight of her trip was meeting First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Wendy is preceded in death by her parents, Freda and Russell Willan; sister, Joyce Barfield; and brother, John Willan. Wendy is survived by her adoring husband, Uwe; her cherished children, Kirsten and Justin; brother, Richard Willan; sisters, Bev Copello, Gerri Wright, Jackie Wimmer, and Lori Stevenson; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Wendy's family requests that donations be made in her memory to ALS of Nevada, 888 West Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89106 or online at http://www.alsofnevada.org.