Wilma was born on July 8, 1939, in Pueblo, Colorado, to the late Frank and Filomena (Vigil) Gallegos. She graduated from Central High School in Pueblo, and, at age 19, moved to Los Angeles, CA, where she worked for Max Factor Cosmetics.
Wilma met the love of her life, Charles V. Gouger Jr.(Vic), in 1961 on the Manhattan Beach , CA Pier during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. They were married less than a year later, and began their 58-year love story in Okinawa, Japan, where Vic worked for two years as an engineer. Their daughter, Rochelle Marie, was born in New York City on February 19, 1964, shortly after Wilma and Vic returned to the States. Several interim moves later, the family settled happily in New Hampshire, where Wilma and Vic remained for the rest of their lives together.
After 10 years as a devoted fulltime mother to her daughter Rochelle, Wilma joined the staff at the New Hampshire State Hospital, where she worked in the Chaplains and Medical Records offices. In the early 1980’s Wilma went to work in Legislatives Services for the State of New Hampshire serving as the Executive Secretary to the Senate President from 1987-1992 and serving as the Executive Secretary/Administrator to the Republican Majority Leadership from 1993-1998.
Following her retirement in 1998, Wilma and Vic traveled extensively in Europe and the US, visiting friends and family along the way. Wilma particularly loved spending time on the New England Coast and in the Rocky Mountains. She enjoyed golf and Friday night dominos with friends and neighbors in Northfield. She and Vic were avid fair goers in the Fall months and enjoyed attending theater productions and concerts. Wilma loved watching Tom Brady and the Patriots play football and then rehashing the games with her family.
Wilma also enjoyed making beautiful stained glass art pieces and celebrating the holidays with decorations and elaborate costumes of her own creation.
But most of all, she loved spending time with her daughter and son-in-law, Rochelle and Kent, and her beloved grandsons, Kaelan, Dillon and Macklin. Always up for an adventure, Wilma didn’t just support her grandsons’ fun, she was an active participant! Skiing, lacrosse, dirt biking, ATV rides, trampoline tussles, skateboarding -- Wilma was game to give it all a try just to be with her boys. And when those boys all grew into accomplished athletes, she became their biggest fan. From grade school through college, she was on their sidelines cheering wildly every chance she got.
These last five years, the main focus of Wilma’s life has been caring for her beloved husband as he battles Parkinson’s disease. Her nurturing, loving devotion to Vic throughout these last, difficult years have been an inspiration to all who knew them. Wilma was a bright, inspiring light in the lives of those she loved. She was deeply loved in return, and will be dearly missed.
Wilma is survived by her devoted husband of 58 years, Charles V. Gouger Jr., her loving daughter and son-in-law, Rochelle and Kent Fitzpatrick of Dover, MA, her three grandsons, Kaelan, Fitzpatrick of Nashua, NH, Dillon, and Macklin Fitzpatrick of Dover MA, and several nieces and nephews and cousins in Colorado and California.
A memorial service will be held at 11am on Monday, March 2, 2020, at the Bennett Funeral Home, 209 N. Main Street, Concord, NH.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at: www.BennettFuneral.com.
A private family burial will take place in Valley Cemetery, Greene, ME.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Wilma’s name to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation at: www.bcrf.org.
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