June 9, 2012:  Wendy S. Ruhm, who grew up in Bronxville and graduated in the Bronxville High School Class of 1993, died at age 36 on Thursday, June 7, 2012, after a long and courageous battle with brain cancer.

She leaves behind her mother and father, Mimi and Tom Ruhm, her younger brother, Tom, and a large community of family and friends.

After graduating from Bronxville High School in 1993, Wendy received a BS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.  While at Georgetown, she spent her junior year in Paris studying at the Sorbonne and the Sciences Politique.  Upon graduating from Georgetown, she did a year of graduate study in International Relations at the London School of Economics.  "Wendy loved to learn," her mother said.  "She was a voracious reader."

On returning to the States, she became an investment analyst at Bramwell Capital.  During this time she also served as a speech writer for Kofi Annan, the then Secretary of the United Nations.  She also wrote articles for the Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) in the European Division.

But the true love of Wendy's life and the pursuit to which she devoted a good portion of her free time was the Blue Hill Troupe, a theatrical organization in New York City that specializes in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and Broadway musicals.

As early as age 9, Wendy acted in plays in the summer children's theater in Quogue on Long Island.  At Bronxville she sang in the Chorus and acted in many Bronxville School musicals and productions.

Wendy later followed her mother and father into the Blue Hill Troupe (the Ruhms met while acting in the Troupe), where she gathered a close-knit community of friends of all ages.  She spent untold hours in the "backstage" in many capacities, including serving twice on the Board, heading up the IT committee, and sending out the newsletter.  But her great love was designing the programs for the Troupe shows.

Wendy had a wonderfully artistic eye and loved taking photographs, many of which are works of art.  She also loved traveling and every year took a trip abroad, coming home with wonderful photographs and mementos.

"She was a great enthusiast, for people and for life," her mother said. "She was always doing things for others way beyond the call of duty.  One of her friends emailed us that she had never said a mean word about anyone, and that friend was absolutely correct.  Everyone talks about her radiant smile and the fact that she had a wonderful ability to bolster peoples' spirits.  I shall miss her very much, not only as a mother, but as a dear friend."

A memorial service will be held at Christ Church on Friday, June 15, at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers a donation may be made in Wendy's name to the Blue Hill Troupe Fund, PO Box 286800, Yorkville Station, New York, NY 10128.