For the past twenty-two years, Wendy Moubray has woken up long before the sun to make the trek from Orange to Woodberry’s front gates. In those early morning hours when she begins the quiet and familiar drive down Route 15, she knows that the work waiting for her on campus matters.
As assistant supervisor of housekeeping, Wendy manages many of the crucial but often unseen duties that allow Woodberry to seamlessly serve the boys. There is no job too small or too big for her — whether she is moving a desk just a few inches to fit perfectly in a classroom or climbing on top of a ride-on auto scrubber to clean floors, she ensures that the campus’ many buildings and their vital systems are pristine. Often the first to jump on a task, Wendy completes her duties with gusto. Her colleagues described her as a catalyst for the team’s efficiency.
Organization is one of Wendy’s greatest strengths. It is a trait she proudly attributes to her mother, Jean Morris, who worked as a housekeeper at Woodberry from 1995 to 2013. Wendy’s first memories of the Forest begin in the stillness of summer: quiet hallways filled with the echoes of footsteps as she joined her mother at work. She remembers running in and out of the empty rooms and pitching in with the massive undertaking of cleaning them.
For Wendy, Woodberry has given her the unique opportunity to grow closer to her own family while becoming part of a second one. She first joined the school in October 2004, working alongside her mother as a housekeeper for many years. More than two decades later, Wendy now serves as a supervisor and works with her younger brother, Scottie Morris.
“I’m lucky to have two families,” Wendy said, reflecting on the many Woodberry faculty, staff, and students she has grown close with over the years. “They just make you feel like you can come in, sit at their kitchen table, and have dinner with them.”
Wendy embodies an infectious love for Woodberry and its people. Those who know Wendy note her rare gift for making each person on the campus feel cared for, often with nothing more than a smile and her signature greeting: “Hi, honey.”
It is because of this and more that it was no surprise that Wendy was recognized with the Frank S. Walker Award during the 2026 Commencement Exercises. The award honors Woodberry staff members who have given most unselfishly in the performance of their duties, further exemplifying the spirit of Frank S. Walker, Class of 1903.
“We know Wendy for her extraordinary efficiency, motivation, and love for the school,” said Headmaster Byron Hulsey ’86 during commencement. “Her can-do attitude is contagious, and she is recognized school-wide as someone who can take on whatever needs to be done.”
“It means the world to me,” Wendy said, reflecting on being named this year’s recipient. “It makes me feel so appreciated that [the school] notices all that you do.”
Those who work with Wendy affirm that she embodies the spirit this award celebrates. They specifically noted her meticulous attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond expectations at every chance. She is known to fill chalkboards with the department’s tasks and write pages of notes during meetings. She does all this with a wonderful sense of humor and humility.
“Not only does Wendy have a beautiful eye when setting up an event, but she never leaves a job until it is 100 percent perfect,” said Sarah Sydnor P’29, Woodberry’s director of events and hospitality, who has worked with Wendy for more than a decade.
“I always say that without Wendy, the department would be much less efficient,” said Eric Johnson, housekeeping manager and longtime colleague. “She stays ahead of many of the details that, if not addressed, would significantly hinder daily operations at the school.”
Wendy and Eric have worked together at Woodberry for decades. The department’s two leaders are so in sync that they joke they frequently have to remind each other to “stay out of my head.”
“I wouldn’t trade her,” Eric said. “If anyone ever had to take her place, they would have big shoes to fill.”
When asked to describe Wendy’s character, Eric recalled a specific moment during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time that presented new challenges to all forms of work at Woodberry, especially for those tasked with maintaining cleanliness and safety. The housekeeping staff received protective gear to wear while cleaning, and Wendy was the first to put on the boots, mask, and gloves and head back to work despite the uncertainty of how the virus would change almost everything on campus.
“I thought that was pretty impressive,” Eric said. “That’s a leader — someone who says, ‘I’m not going to ask anybody else to go before me. I’m going first, and you can follow after me.’”
Sitting among the pews at St. Andrew’s Chapel, Wendy reflected on the many years she has spent at the school. The chapel’s windows overlook Woodberry Forest Road, the one she has taken thousands of times on her way to work.
“There is no place like Woodberry,” she said. “I love every day, and I do the best I can do here.”