Wilda Peters Raffensperger

Born in Baltimore in 1940 to hard-working parents, Wilda grew up in the apartment above her father’s pharmacy at 33rd and The Alameda. She loved going to Baltimore Orioles games as a kid, and shared that love with her mother, whom she took to games for many years.

In 1958 she left Baltimore to attend Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA. It was there that she met the love of her life Harry Jeffrey “Jeff” Raffensperger, one year older than her. They met on a blind date whose date they could never agree on throughout the 51 loving years they spent together. They were engaged in 1961 and married after Wilda’s graduation, on August 4, 1962.

They welcomed their son Jeffrey (Jeff) in September of 1963 and their daughter Jennifer (Jen) in March of 1972.

Wilda’s faith was important to her throughout her life, and though in the earliest years of their marriage they didn’t attend church regularly, with Wilda’s encouragement they returned to her husband’s childhood faith, and joined Sacred Heart Church in Bowie, MD. Wilda took classes to join the Catholic Church, and Jeff joined her to learn about all the changes since his childhood. Wilda was baptized into the faith and their marriage vows were renewed at Sacred Heart in the mid 1970s.

In the early 1980s, Wilda began working at the church office at Sacred Heart, after years of volunteering with the House on the Hill and Ladies’ Sodality. Her husband was ordained a permanent deacon in 1983, and “the Raffs” cemented their place as bedrocks of the church community at Sacred Heart. Wilda fully retired from working at the office in 2016.

Wilda’s deep faith, quietly brilliant sense of humor, and generous spirit left wonderful memories with everyone whose life she touched. Her life of loving service will long be remembered, and her family is so grateful for the many years they shared. Wilda’s beloved husband Jeff preceded her in death in 2009. Wilda is survived by her son Jeff, his wife Shalene, and their children Jack and Jeff, as well as by her daughter Jen.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on November 10, 2025, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at the Sacred Heart Chapel, located at 16501 Annapolis Rd, Bowie, MD, 20715, US.

A Graveside Service will follow at Sacred Heart Church Cemetery, also located at 16501 Annapolis Rd, Bowie, MD, 20715, US, starting at 1:00 pm.