Wilma June Miles

Wilma June Miles, previously of Meadow Vista, California, passed away on May 10, 2024, in Reno, Nevada at the age of 88.

Wilma June was born to the late Selman and Bessie Holcomb in Fisher County, Texas. Her formative years were mostly spent growing up in three very small towns within the Fisher County area, Hamlin, Roby, and Rotan, Texas. These were the early years of her life including a portion of the Great Depression era (1929 – 1939) and were hard times for most people trying to find work in the cotton fields and small retail shops, etc. in the area. Wilma’s mother and father were blessed with 8 children - Woody, Doris (Jack), Gene, Wanda May, Wayne, Truman, Wilma, and Sammy. Wilma remembers the family having to pull together on many occasions in seeking whatever work could be found to keep their whole family fed and healthy during those times of real poverty. There were certainly good times too, with family, friends and church activities that were always a priority throughout the years.

Wilma was outgoing and enjoyed school activities and spending time with her girlfriends. Once she got into high school, she realized how much she loved to dance and go to the competitive sports events between the local high schools. She was voted “Football Sweetheart” and “Football Homecoming Queen” in her junior and senior years at Rotan High School. To her, those were just figurehead positions. With respect to boys, the only one that stood out for her was a young man by the name of Jackie Dwain Miles (aka - J.D. Miles). She recalls that, even though he was always busy working in the fields, local grocery store (Piggly Wiggly) and other side jobs, she and J.D. would always do what they could to find time to be together. It wasn’t long before they began to dream of a future together when their private discussions turned to the nervous topic of marriage.

While Wilma was still finishing up her senior year of high school, after J.D. had already graduated the prior year, Wilma and J.D. were married on December 30th of 1952. This was a tough but happy decision to marry at that time because J.D. had just recently been recruited to soon begin four years of service with the U.S. Air Force. This would be a tough beginning for their marriage because during basic training, and an 18-month tour of duty overseas for J.D., they would not be able to spend much time together during the first couple of years of their marriage. They both had to adjust to this with Wilma having to spend a portion of those initial years still living at home with family while J.D. was overseas during his active tour of duty. There were a lot of letters written back and forth until J.D. was finally stationed stateside at Edwards Air Force base in southern California, where Wilma and J.D. could finally be together again. It wasn’t long before their first child, Cynthia Deanne Miles was born in February of 1954. J.D. was honorably discharged in 1956 and accepted a Civil Service position at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, where he worked for an additional 10 years. During those years together, Wilma was a wonderful wife, mother, and homemaker, while J.D. worked hard and attended college part-time at Sacramento State College and Solano College where he earned an AA degree. Their second child, Stanley (Kevin) Miles, was born in 1960.

While Wilma continued in her cherished capacity as a wonderful wife, mother, and homemaker, J.D. continued his lifelong practice of hard work, enabling him to further establish his first construction company in the mid-1960s. Their mutual hard work enabled J.D. to build several companies over the years as well as provide consulting services to other companies. J.D.’s main endeavors were in land development, general contracting, home building, electrical contracting, retail and manufacturing, and real estate investment before Wilma and J.D. finally decided to fully retire in 1992.

Wilma and J.D.’s hard work and shared experiences, going all the way back to their early years of difficult times in Fisher and Scurry Counties of Texas, were the foundational experiences that strengthened their relationship and lives together over the years, enabling them to appreciate and enjoy all their adult years with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Wilma, J.D., their children, and extended family lived in the Fairfield, Vacaville, and Green Valley areas of Solano County, California from 1956 to 1995, relocated to Folsom, California from 1995 to 2014, and then settled in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills area of Meadow Vista, California with their children and extended families most always living in the same or nearby areas.

Wilma’s and J.D.’s passions were spending time together with family and friends, gardening, and “motor homing across the country.” They delighted in visiting the West Texas areas of Fisher and Scurry Counties where they grew up and attending annual family reunions there where they loved to reminisce with family and friends about those “tough, but good ‘ole days.”

Upon moving to their Meadow Vista home in October of 2014, Wilma and J.D. were excited to have their daughter Cynthia and husband Rick move into the home with them to help in providing additional family loving care and companionship for both of them in their later years, all the way through the time of J.D.’s passing in April of 2016. Cynthia and Rick continued providing care and companionship to Wilma there for the remainder of years they all lived together in the home. Most recently, Wilma was also able to spend a significant amount of time visiting with her son and daughter-in-law in the Reno, NV area before her passing.

Wilma’s passing was preceded by her husband J.D. on April 6th, 2016, and she and J.D. are survived by daughter Cynthia (Francis Richard) Thompson, son Kevin (Julie) Miles, granddaughters Melody (Keith) Fradenburg, Deanna (late husband James), Garcia and great-grandchildren Jesse Garcia, Jayda Garcia, Taylor Fradenburg, and Chloe Fradenburg. She is also predeceased by brothers Woody, Doris (Jack), Gene, Wanda May Kiker, Wayne, Truman, and her younger brother Sammy.

Rest in Peace with the Lord Jesus Wilma June until we arrive to see you, and all, again!

A “Celebration of Eternal Life” will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 11:00 am, at Chapel of the Hills located in Auburn, California.