Wenche J. Howe passed away peacefully on October 13, 2022 of metastatic bone cancer.

Wenche was born in Hammerfest, Norway.  At the age of one, the family moved to Malangen, Norway.  The Malangen fjord and their childhood home remains the family's cherished holiday destination every summer.

Wenche was an independent and courageous spirit.  Growing up, she loved the water and became an avid competitive swimmer.  At 20, she packed her bags and departed Norway for a new adventure in the United States.  Wenche made her way to Chicago, her new cherished home for the next 50 years.

Wenche obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from the University of Chicago.  In her unending quest for knowledge, she achieved a Master's Degree in Human Resources at Northeastern Illinois University and later, a Master's in Linguistics from Loyola University.  A Master's in Linguistics, is what most of us needed just to pronounce her name correctly…  Wenche always appreciated every earnest effort!

Wenche had myriad passions that included people, culture, language, art, theater, and her best-kept secret – baking.  Wenche met, fell in love with, and married her first passion, her husband Scott – a musician and business entrepreneur.  Together they shared the joy of family, music, travel, and one another.  Scott preceded Wenche in death in 1993 at the age of 43.

It was at The Ritz-Carlton where Wenche engaged her passion and enthusiasm for Chicago, its people, culture, architecture, art, and theater.  As a Chef Concierge, Wenche's gift was the ability to create exciting, meaningful, and memorable experiences for visiting guests, local residents, and frankly anyone who sought the perfect recommendation for dining, entertainment, museums, city tours, shopping – virtually anything one could need or imagine while venturing about the Windy City.  For 34 years, it was Wenche's honor to welcome thousands of visitors to The Ritz-Carlton and Chicago and to ensure they enjoyed a memorable visit.

Wenche's spirit of service and professional commitment inspired her to become a member of the esteemed Les Clefs d'Or USA and an active member of the Chicago Hotel Concierge Association.  Wenche developed wonderful life-long friendships that she cherished for decades.  She remained grateful for the tremendous care and support she received from peers and the Les Clefs d'Or USA Foundation during the difficult time of her husband's abrupt passing while they were traveling abroad.

Now let's get back to "baking"… who knew?  Wenche transitioned into early retirement but could not sit idle.  This proved to be the perfect time to re-engage her hidden talent for baking.  Wenche connected with a wonderful community of friends and fellow parishioners at the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church in Chicago.  They would conspire to bake authentic Norwegian goodies, raise funds, and spend time together which brought great joy and many blessings to Wenche.  She was a perfectionist when it came to recipes and baked goods – and like an FDA inspector when it came to food expiration dates. When the rare but occasional "reject" came out of her oven, she was swift to get on the phone with King Arthur Flour to dissect the problematic outcome!

Wenche looked forward to her annual treks to Norway, time with her family, and summer gatherings at their childhood home in Malangen.  Wenche relished this time to commune with her sister Turid, her nephews Svein-Arne, Ola, Lars, and Hans Anders, and eventually their wives and four grand nephews.

When Wenche's family visited the United States and Chicago, she would masterfully orchestrate a memorable adventure from start to finish.  She always looked forward to her nephew's annual visit to Chicago.  When Ola would arrive, it was Wenche's opportunity to enjoy Chicago like a tourist with all her "inside scoops".  During the past several months, Ola was a very special blessing and a key presence for Wenche.

Wenche enjoyed many blessings over her lifetime.  She married the love of her life, traveled the world, adored her career and the Ritz-Carlton, the city of Chicago, her home in Bowmanville, her family, and her Norwegian heritage.  What she truly appreciated most were the people she encountered every day.

Wenche embraced her path courageously and without complaint. Through good and bad days, Wenche noticed and appreciated everyone.  Wenche wasn't known to express herself publicly but privately she shared immense gratitude for friends, colleagues, neighbors, her church circle, the amazing staff in her apartment building, UBER drivers to her appointments, those who delivered her groceries, her health care providers at Northwestern, and her compassionate caregivers through the end of her illness.

To everyone remembering and celebrating Wenche during this time, know that you had a special place in her heart.  Each of you lit her path over the last 70 years in ways you may never know –  and for which she was sincerely grateful.   May our lights shine even brighter as we celebrate Wenche's life as a sister, aunt, colleague, concierge, baker, and friend!

Wenche's family extends their sincere gratitude and thanks to everyone who has been a part of Wenche's life.

A memorial service for Wenche will be held by her family in Norway.

Les Clefs d'Or Foundation of the Americas is a tax-exempt, volunteer, nonprofit organization founded in 1990 to respond to the suffering of concierges and/or their significant others affected by catastrophic or life-threatening illnesses. While it began as a USA entity, the Foundation today is a Pan-American effort combining and benefiting the Union Internationale des Concierges d'Hôtels "Les Clefs d'Or" (UICH) sections of the United States, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

If you wish to make a donation in memory of Wenche, please click the link below to support the Les Clefs d'Or USA Foundation: Les Clefs d'Or USA : The Official National Organization of Hotel Lobby Concierges .

For further information please call 312-421-0936.