In Memoriam: Wyndel Dickinson (Wendy) LaPrade ’76

Wyndel Dickinson (Wendy) LaPrade ’76 was born on September 16, 1958, in Jacksonville and passed away on May 22, 2020. She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Martin Edward LaPrade (Marty), and their two sons, Maxwell Martin LaPrade ’04 (Joanna) of Durango, CO, and Charles Dickinson LaPrade ’07 (Ashley) and granddaughter Estelle Edna LaPrade of Greenville, SC. She is also survived by her parents Edna and Maxwell Knauer Dickinson, an Honorary Trustee; her sister Forrest Dickinson Moore ’78 (Chris), brother Spencer Dickinson ’80 (Susanne), mother-in-law Betty Anne LaPrade, brother-in-law William Charles LaPrade (Bill), and sister-in-law Annette LaPrade Brown (Robbie). Nieces and nephews include: Temple, Spencer (Ally), and Christopher (Sarah Gray) Moore; Nolan and Sinclaire Dickinson; and Matthew, Carson, and Hayden Brown. Wendy was a 1980 graduate of Furman University. After marrying Marty, Wendy enjoyed 18 years at Merrill Lynch, the last 10 years working side by side with her father. 

Wendy was actively involved at Episcopal during her life, serving on the Alumni Board multiple times from 1983-2010. She also served as an Alumni Class Representative several times and was the 2008-2009 recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award. Wendy chaired the school’s largest fundraiser, Celebration, and also volunteered as a committee member for the annual event multiple times. She was an active member of the school’s 50th Anniversary Committee, which celebrated the milestone year with a gala in 2016. 

Wendy also served on the Board of Trustees from 2006-2014, working on the Executive, Finance, Advancement and College Counseling committees. She was a member of the school’s 1966 Society for 32 years of consecutive giving, and a member of the Fifty by 50 Society, for donors whose lifetime donations to the school total more than $50,000. 

Donations in Wendy’s memory may be made to the Southside United Methodist Church youth and children’s programs (sumcjax.org/give/ as “memorial”). Please check Wendy’s CaringBridge site for memorial service details: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wendylaprade