Virginia Ruth Wilmott

Virginia Ruth Wilmott was born to Daisy and George Ryden on February 13, 1934 in Washington, Missouri and departed her earthly existence on December 7, 2021 from Clearwater, Florida. Virginia’s family moved to Oklahoma City when she was in junior high. It was there she met her first sweetheart — C.L. Wilmott. The two of them dated all through high school and married on January 1, 1953.

When C.L. graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a masters degree in geology, it was Virginia who urged him to accept the most exotic of his job offers—the one that would take them to the hinterlands of northern Peru. Virginia’s penchant for adventure prevailed over any misgivings that C.L. may have had and off they went to Talara, Peru in 1957 with two young daughters in tow. Their third daughter was born in Talara three years later.

What was originally supposed to be a two year assignment ended up being a 25 year career in South America encompassing four different countries—Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina. Such extended stays were rare for expats in the oil business because frequently the spouse couldn’t cope with the rigors of life in a foreign country. Virginia, however, relished the challenges and rewards of homemaking abroad despite the demanding conditions including, but not limited to, revolution and expropriation in Peru, martial law in Colombia, and the declaration of the Falklands war with England in Argentina.

Virginia enthusiastically embraced all that these South American countries had to offer— their culture, cuisine and music. She shopped in open air markets for fruits, vegetables and other staples, communicated with seamstresses to keep her family clothed, and dealt with all manner of other trades including fishmongers and realtors always of necessity in either Spanish or Portuguese. And although the mastery of these foreign languages eluded her, she persevered nonetheless with grace and aplomb to make herself understood oftentimes without bothering to conjugate a single verb! Virginia’s ability to readily and cheerfully adapt to local customs always helped her family to settle into new circumstances with ease. She ensured that the Wilmott homestead was always a safe haven full of laughter, love and music.

When Virginia and C.L. found themselves stationed in Buenos Aires, Argentina as the Falklands war broke out in 1982, Virginia declared, “Even missionaries get to go home after twenty five years!”. Thus is was that they relocated back to the USA. After brief sojourns in Miami, Denver and Houston, Virginia and C.L. retired to Florida—living first in Pensacola then in Clearwater—finally settling into Regency Oaks retirement community.

Virginia was a great cook and an accomplished seamstress. In her spare time, she loved to read and enjoyed playing bridge. Virginia and C.L. both loved to entertain and they threw legendary parties.

Virginia—with all her wit and wisdom, love and laughter, joy and generosity—lives on the the hearts and minds of her husband C.L., daughters Kimie Wilmott, Karen (Mike) McCarthy, Leslie (Dan) Caughey and grandchildren Bryan (Nicole) Caughey and Megan (Ian) Thomas.