Wendy Beth Meyer, also known as Wendy Bendy and Wild Ben, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2025 surrounded by family during a full moon. She is now free to experience adventures throughout the cosmos.
She is survived by husband Jim Cyganek, her beloved son Jimmy Cyganek, father Arnie Meyer (Elba), sister Lisa Meyer, and brother Jeff Meyer (Angi), half-sister Charlene Meyer, step siblings Holly Wolfe, John Wolfe, Tony Ruiz, Leana, and her dog Moonshine. Wendy was predeceased by her mother Carole Wolfe, step sibling Laurie Wolfe, and family dogs Alex, Luna and Sunshine.
Born in New Jersey, Wendy attended Leto High School in Tampa, FL, and received a BA degree in Psychology and Sociology from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Wendy began her professional graphic design career in Atlanta, producing the independent arts magazine Open City in the late 1980s, then spending much of her professional career in South Florida through the 1990s. She returned to Atlanta with husband Jim in 2000.
An award‑winning artist and graphic designer, Wendy founded her own firm, InYouWendo Design. Her bold, artful and upbeat style as an artist and graphic designer gained her regional, national and international clients and recognition, including over 150 American Advertising Federation (ADDY) Awards with several Best of Show Awards for clients such as Blockbuster, Cigna, Prudential, Hilton, Doubletree, The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, The Norton Museum of Art, VSA Arts of Florida, the Community Foundation and many others. She also received an Ubertalli Visual Arts Award from the Palm Beach Cultural Council and an Encore Award.
In the 1990s, Wendy was a visionary pioneer in the new world of electronic design, co‑producing the world premiere of a multi‑faceted, multimedia exhibition at ArtServe's Moran Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, and Design Electronica, the first large‑scale digital art exhibition in South Florida at the Museum of Discovery and Science. She also created exhibitions at Palm Beach Photographic Museum, Palm Beach International Airport and Palm Beach Community College.
Wendy's work was featured in Scitex Asia's 1999 Vividness Calendar, Hong Kong's IDN magazine, Step‑by‑Step Electronic Design and in the advertising, packaging and books for Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter software. Her paintings toured the world as part of the 1998 MacWorld Digital Art Gallery, and the 1995 Fractal Design Digital Gallery, and she was Fractal's featured artist for July 1996.
In addition to professional projects, Wendy loved teaching art to students at Palm Beach Community College and the Palm Beach Photographic Center, as well as teaching an experimental painting and computer art program for teens and adults with developmental disabilities for VSA arts for five years.
While in Ft. Lauderdale, Wendy served on the steering committees for ArtSource at the Norton Museum of Art, VSA arts of Palm Beach County, and the Professional Artists Committee for Palm Beach County. In Atlanta, Wendy served on the Boards of Atlanta environmental non‑profit EcoAddendum, and Congregation Ner Tamid, Marietta, GA.
Wendy loved painting, music, relaxing at the beach, swimming in her pool, bicycling, nature, and most of all her son Jimmy of whom she was fiercely supportive in all his endeavors. Her unbridled enthusiasm and positivity inspired those around her. From her trademark fedora hat, flowing patterned skirts, to a purse always brimming with art materials — Wendy was one of a kind.
c e l e b r a t i o n o f l i f e
Date: 1/31/2026 • Location: TBD
Contact: Jim Cyganek for more details.
i n l i e u o f f l o w e r s
The family requests a donation in Wendy's name to EcoAddendum.org or the American Cancer Society. Or plant a tree.