Wendy McCluney
If healthy feet are happy feet, then Wendy McCluney is responsible for many happy feet in Fearrington Village. Based in a serene treatment room at Fearrington Cares, Wendy, an RN and licensed pedicurist, assists residents in maintaining healthy feet. However, her life took a long and a winding path before arriving at Fearrington Cares.
Born in High Point, North Carolina, and raised with three sisters, Wendy’s early life revolved around family and faith. Both of her parents held full-time jobs, and after her mother became ill, her father worked even harder to support the five women in his home. On Saturdays, Wendy would bike to her grandmother’s house to watch her create magic with the food harvested from the garden.
Wendy was blessed with a large extended family and was fortunate to have both her maternal and paternal grandparents in her life. Her grandfather, a Baptist minister, would take her to McDonald’s for a Happy Meal after church on Sundays—a special treat. Several years before he retired, her grandfather had a larger church built where everyone was welcome to attend. That church still stands in High Point. Neither her grandparents nor her father was ever idle, perhaps instilling in Wendy the strong work ethic she carries today.
After high school, Wendy graduated from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and intended to attend Penn State’snDesign Program. While at NCCU, one of her oil paintings received an award of merit and was displayed at the NCCU Art Museum.
Life changed when she had her son, and Wendy attended cosmetology school where she trained as a nail technician, focusing on manicures and pedicures. This experience led her to work as a clinical assistant in a podiatrist’s office in Durham for nine years. Later, seeking to enhance her marketability, she studied massage therapy and worked for several years at the upscale Umstead Hotel Spa.
When 17 years of marriage ended, many people told Wendy she would make a wonderful nurse. Wendy returned to school and graduated with her RN degree in 2019. Then COVID hit. She took a position at an UNC surgical center, then Veritas, Hospice at Burlington, and finally Aegis Home Health Care. At Veritas, she met a woman who wanted to arrange a private nail appointment for her sister’s birthday. Wendy volunteered, and the sister turned out to be Karen Metzguer, the former Executive Director of Fearrington Cares.
Today, Wendy is a highly sought-after pedicurist at Fearrington Cares. She assists those whose eyesight has dimmed or who experience flexibility issues with their back, hips, or knees. When she is not at work, Wendy enjoys cooking, painting, jazz events, line dancing, and traveling.
I told Wendy she had the most interesting background. She smiled and said, “My life is full and blessed. I’m passionate about what I do and building relationships while doing it. It’s therapeutic for me, and I think it’s also therapeutic for the residents. I’m truly blessed.”