Mildred V Wendlandt

A devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother, Millie lived her life in service to those she loved most. Her life was defined not by the hardships she endured, but by the love, strength, and resilience she shared with everyone around her. Born and raised in Kilgore, Texas, Millie graduated as valedictorian of her high school class before enrolling at Kilgore Junior College. There, she delighted in the spotlight as a member of the world-famous Kilgore Rangerettes, dancing and high-kicking her way through the late 1940s. After completing college, Millie set her sights on the big city and moved to Dallas, where she worked at Neiman Marcus and Mobil Oil. It was there that she met the man she would always call the "love of her life,” Charles Knight. The couple married and began their life together in Golden, Colorado and Tucson, Arizona, where their son, Charles Knight, Jr., was born in September 1962. Tragedy struck far too soon when her husband was killed in a devastating automobile accident. Although Millie and baby Charles survived, the loss forever changed the course of her life.

After spending a brief time with her parents back in Kilgore, Millie moved to Austin to continue her education at the University of Texas. There she met and married her second husband, Alexander Clark Perwein, the man she called “her tall, dark and handsome love” and together they welcomed daughters Valerie and Sandra in the late 1960s. As a busy mother of three, Millie once again faced extraordinary hardship when her dear husband Clark was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in 1977. Determined to provide for her family, she returned to work in secretarial and bookkeeping roles, at McCallum High School, the Texas State Capitol for a state representative, and later with a local law firm.

Millie retired in the mid-1980s after marrying her third husband, Charles Wendlandt. In the early 1990s, she discovered a new passion by studying art at Austin Community College and attending art retreats in Sedona, Arizona. A natural talent, she embraced painting—especially watercolor—with great enthusiasm, making up for lost time with creativity and joy. Her love of art was woven into every part of her life. Beauty was never an afterthought for Millie—it was something she intentionally created and generously shared. When preparing a special family meal, she gave as much care to the table setting and presentation as she did to the food itself. If she was going dancing, she delighted in dressing to the nines, always choosing a dress that made the occasion feel just a little more special. Whether she was hosting a bridge party, tending her garden, crafting by hand, or homemaking, she poured her heart into every detail. She was truly a remarkably industrious and passionate woman.

After divorcing Charles Wendlandt in the 1990s, Millie devoted herself to caring for her mother until her passing in 1998. Beginning in 1997, her greatest joy became her three grandchildren Colin Youngblood, Carli Knight and Trey Munson. She treasured each of her grandchildren and took immense pride in all her family’s accomplishments. If you ever had the pleasure to spend time with her you would know that she was never shy about claiming her bragging rights whenever she had the opportunity. In her later years, Millie made her home with her daughter Valerie. As vascular dementia gradually took its toll, the family lovingly returned the care she had so freely given throughout her life. Even as the disease progressed, Millie never lost her infectious laugh, her remarkable beauty, or her spunky, flirtatious charm.

Millie was, above all, a fighter and a survivor. She met heartbreak with courage, loss with resilience, and every new chapter with determination. While she would never have chosen the hardships she faced, she chose every day how to meet them—with dignity, perseverance and a fierce love for her family. As we celebrate her life, raise a glass in her honor, put on some Tom Jones—her favorite performer—and kick up your heels. And no matter how high you think you can kick, Millie would smile, laugh, and tell you she could have kicked higher.

True to her spirit, Millie was adamant that she did not want a funeral or memorial service because, as she would say, they were simply too sad. She wanted to be remembered with love, happiness, laughter, and affection—not with sorrow. Her family will honor those wishes and will gather at a later date, when everyone is able to be together, to celebrate the remarkable life she lived. Her bright light will forever shine in the hearts of all who knew her.

Millie is survived by her son, Charles Knight, Jr. and his wife, Benita Knight; her daughter, Valerie Perwein and her partner, Tim Carroll, and daughter Sandra Perwein; and her beloved grandchildren, Colin Youngblood, Carli Knight, and Trey Munson, and grandchildren by marriage, Kate Nolen Cleveland and Nelson Nolen.