Wilma Lillian Camilleri

Wilma was born on August 4, 1930, in Greenleaf, Idaho, to Walter Dewey and Nora Piersall. She grew up alongside her siblings Wayne, Doris, and Jerald. The family later moved to Buckley, Washington, where Wilma graduated from Buckley High School in 1948. Her graduating class was small and close-knit, and those friendships endured for decades, with classmates gathering for reunions well into recent years.

After high school, Wilma attended Newberg College (now George Fox University), where she studied Home Economics. Though she left school after two years due to financial hardship, she carried her education and determination into her future endeavors. She began working at Nabisco in Portland, Oregon, where she met and married Charles Vogel. Together they welcomed their daughter, Katherine.

In the years that followed, Wilma built a life defined by resilience, faith, and devotion to her family. After moving to San Francisco, she supported herself and Katherine by working as a teller at Bank of America. It was there she met her future husband, Charles Camilleri. Together they moved to Sacramento, where they raised their two sons, Daniel and Ronald and Katherine and eventually built a family home in Citrus Heights. That home remained Wilma’s cherished residence for 63 years.

Wilma returned to Bank of America as a part-time teller and went on to rise through the ranks, ultimately serving as a branch manager at several Sacramento-area locations. Her career was a source of great pride, and she loved mentoring others who were pursuing careers in banking.

Faith was central to Wilma’s life. She was a member of Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church for over 60 years, where she served in many roles, including Deaconess and member of the Building Committee during times of expansion. She was also active in the Mariners fellowship group, where she and her “ship,” The Icebreakers, enjoyed formal dinners, themed events, and many memorable trips together.

Wilma also served on the Citrus Heights Historic Commission. They were responsible for celebrating the past of the little town that became an incorporated city with projects such as signage about the Lincoln Highway that traversed the area and art installations placed around the city.

After retiring from banking, Wilma and her husband Charlie enjoyed traveling with friends in their camping trailer, as well as journeys to Hawaii, Mexico, and Costa Rica. After Charlie’s passing, she continued to embrace adventure, even joining a missionary trip to Russia. Later in life, through the Bank of America Retiree Club, she reconnected with former colleague Doug Cross. At age 82, they married and shared a few years of companionship before Doug’s passing.

Family remained Wilma’s greatest joy. In her later years, her son Ron and grandson Bode came to live with her, and Bode was truly the light of her life. It was her hope to remain in her Citrus Heights home until Bode’s high school graduation, but as her health declined, she made the decision to move to the Vancouver, Washington, area to be closer to family. Even in her care facility, she was known as the “best dressed,” always arriving at meals impeccably put together, with her jewelry, hair, and makeup just so.

Wilma will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her pride in her career, her lifelong faith, and her gracious presence. She will be greatly missed by her children Katherine (Gary), Daniel (Delita), and Ronald; stepson Charles Jr. (Anne); grandchildren Andrea, Shannon, Todd, Sierra, Cole, John, Clay, Joshua, Amy, and Bode; and her thirteen great-grandchildren.

Services and interment will be held on Friday, September 26 at Mount Vernon Cemetery, Fair Oaks, California.