Wendell Clay Cave

Wendell Clay "Buddy" Cave, 82, entered eternal life on August 9, 2022 at his home in Shelby County. Wendell was born on a farm on October 31, 1939 in Bee, Kentucky to the late Ottis and Audrey Highbaugh Cave. He was married to the love of his life, Julie Schmid Cave, for 52 years. Wendell graduated from Cub Run High School in 1957, received a Bachelor of Science in 1963 and a Master of Arts in 1966 from Western Kentucky University. Wendell staunchly believed in the power of public education and committed his professional life to bettering the lives of others through education. He taught high school in Hart and Jefferson Counties in Kentucky and in New Athens, Illinois. He later served in the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board, and the Department of Local Government until his retirement in 2012. Several of his former students remained in touch with Wendell until the time of his death, demonstrating the lifelong impact he had on others.

Wendell was equally committed to his family including the extended families of his five older brothers. He was a passionate amateur genealogist and contributed valuable information on the origins of the Cave and Highbaugh families of Hart County. Wendell's life was also filled by his love of sports. He loved coaching his children's youth basketball teams and watching his grandsons' sporting events. He was an avid golfer who could nearly shoot his age. He enjoyed watching professional golf and anything the Kentucky Wildcats were playing. After retirement, he volunteered regularly with the Shelby County Democratic Party. Wendell was a lifelong member of the Masonic and Scottish Rite fraternal organizations.

Wendell is survived by his wife, Julie; his children, Matthew (Barbra) and Jennifer (Graham); his grandchildren, William and Samuel Cave, Nikolai Goshko, and Avery, Cole, and Blake Leveston; his brothers Ottis L. Cave Jr. (Sara), James E. Cave (Charlene), and Gordon W. Cave (Darlene); and many beloved nieces and nephews. Wendell was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Ancil Cave (Betty) and Wilford Cave (Lorraine), and his sister Emma Gean.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 18, 2022 and from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Friday, August 19, 2022 at the Newcomer Funeral Home, East Louisville Chapel, 235 Juneau Dr, Louisville, KY 40243. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday at the funeral home with interment following at Resthaven Memorial Cemetery, Louisville KY.

The Cave family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff at Hosparus for their loving and attentive care. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Wendell's name to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund

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