Wendell Archer 'Wendy' Babson

Wendell Archer 'Wendy' Babson, loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at Vitalia Assisted Living in Westlake, Ohio. He was 94. He was born November 11, 1929, in Cleveland, and grew up and attended school in Fairview Park, graduating Fairview Park High School. He graduated from Baldwin Wallace College, where he played football, basketball and lettered in baseball. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He was a resident of Bay Village for decades and worked in northeast Ohio in the insurance claims industry, retiring from Continental Insurance. He dedicated much of his time to high school sports, officiating football, basketball, track and cross country events. As a cross country official, he was the starter for the OHSAA State Championships at Scioto Downs. He totaled more than 100 seasons in his career and was inducted into the Ohio High School Athletic Association's Officiating Hall of Fame in 2008. He also was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying golf, softball, hunting and fishing, especially in Ontario, Canada. While in Bay Village, Wendell played in men's basketball and softball leagues and spent many years managing some great teams in the Bay Men's League. He was also an avid golfer and bowler, winning company titles, and beat the professional bowler in the Plain Dealer's 1967 I beat the Champ contest. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Harriet Ellen (nee Hagans) Babson; his brother, John W. (Dorothy) Babson; his youngest son, Gerald R. 'Jerry' Babson; and a grandson, Kevin M. Babson. He is survived by two sons, Richard A. (Sue) Babson and Steven J. (Michelle) Babson; a daughter, Peggy Ann Babson; son-in-law, Bill (Jerry) Kelly; grandsons, Kyle A. Babson, Stephen (Kasey) Kelly and Zachary Kelly; two great-grandsons, Harrison Kelly and Byron Kelly; and a number of nieces and nephews. Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, January 10, 2024 and the funeral is 10 a.m., Thursday, January 11, 2024, both at Busch Funeral Home, 32000 Detroit Rd., Avon. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Boy Scouts of America in care of Bethesda on the Bay Lutheran Church, ATTN: Troop 41, 28607 Wolf Rd., Bay Village, OH 44140, or the VFW.