Wendy A. Dust (66) of Effingham

Wendy Anne (Burt) Dust, 66, of Effingham, IL passed away on Thursday, March 10, 2022 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Heath Center.

Wendy was born in Evanston, IL to parents Harold and Patricia Burt. Growing up in Wilmette, IL, she attended New Trier High School and later graduated from Mendota High School in 1973. Receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University in 1977 with a major in English and a minor in Theater, Wendy then went on to complete her student teaching in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She was an accomplished singer and dancer who performed in numerous theater productions during her High School and College tenure including Peter Pan, The Music Man, Godspell, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Miracle Worker and The King and I. She began her teaching career in Dieterich and shortly thereafter met her husband, Tom. Settling in Effingham, IL, Wendy taught English and Speech/Communications at St. Anthony High School for over 20 years. During her tenure, she went on to produce and direct a number of St. Anthony’s Spring Musicals and Fall Plays including Once Upon a Mattress, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Leader of the Pack, and Dracula. During construction of the new high school wing, she was heavily involved with the design and technical layout for the new theater stage. Outside of her work at the high school, Wendy volunteered with FACE (Fine Arts County of Effingham), worked at The Last Straw, and lent her skills to voice over and proofreading work for various groups in the Effingham area. In 2005, Wendy and her husband, Tom relocated to Clarksville, IN and then a year later to Merced, CA where she took great pride in volunteering at and running social media for the local SPCA Animal Rescue. After the passing of her husband in 2013, Wendy returned to Effingham, IL to watch her grandchildren grow while briefly working at The Last Straw, KB Learning, and substitute teaching at St. Anthony High School.

Wendy is preceded in death by her parents Harold S. Burt and Patricia (Weitzel) Burt; husband, Tom F. Dust; and her sister Bonnie Burt.

She is survived by her children Brittany (Chris) Cuyler of Fairfax, CA and Tom E. Dust of Effingham, IL; sister Sherry (Joseph) Rivard of The Villages, FL; grandchildren Anthony Dust, Selene Dust, and Quinn Cuyler.

A prayer service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham with Fr. Al Allen officiating. A memorial visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to time of service Saturday at the funeral home.