Nathan "Nate" Pendell's Obituary
Nathan "Nate" Pendell, 46, of High Springs, FL., formerly of Sabina, OH, Champaign-Urbana, IL, and Fairfax, VA, passed away at home on Friday, May 8th, 2026.
A Celebration of Life visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 15th, 2026, at Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, 823 NW 143rd St., Newberry, FL, with a short service beginning at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow.
He was born June 15, 1979, in Wilmington, OH, the son of Steve and Cathy Pendell. He married Gretchen Luecking on June 4, 2004, in Urbana, IL. She survives.
Also surviving are his parents of Sabina, OH, and Leesburg, FL, an aunt, Laraine Boyles of Wilmington, OH, and his mother-in-law, Brenda Luecking of Urbana, IL. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Carl and Frances Boyles, and J and Reva Pendell, and his father-in-law, Jim Luecking.
Nate was a 1997 graduate of East Clinton High School, Lees Creek, OH. He earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois in 2002 and a master's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Florida in 2006. He worked as an occupational therapist at The Virginian in Fairfax, VA, and later as an occupational therapy supervisor and prosthetics supervisor at the North Florida-South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
While at the University of Illinois, he was a member of the Fighting Illini Wheelchair Track Team and the Wheelchair Basketball Team. Nate was also a member of the gold-medal-winning USA team at the 2002 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships. He was a University of Florida Gator football season ticket holder, and a huge sports fan, supporting the Illini, Gators, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cincinnati Reds.
The family would like to thank everyone at the Moffitt GI and Clinical Trial Units, as well as the staff at Haven Hospice for their compassionate care and support.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research (https://www.v.org/how-to-help/honors-and-memorials/) or Haven Hospice (https://havenhospice.com/donate).
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