Wilma Jean Chandler

She was the second child of Clarence Edward and Jessie Marie Blackman Buerke. She attended Blake Prairie Elementary school seven years. She attended St Paul Lutheran school 1 year. Her freshman year of high school was at Stover High School. She graduated in 1945 from Polo, MO High school.

She was baptized into the Lutheran faith at St Paul in Stover, Mo on November 13, 1938 by Reverend H.M. Schreiner. She was confirmed at St. Paul on March 17, 1940 by Reverend H.M. Schreiner. Her memory verse was John 8:31-32, “If ye continue in My word, then ye are my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.”

When Wilma Jean’s parents divorced in 1937, she made her home with her aunt and uncle, Jim and Amelia Johnson. When she graduated from High school, she was too young to work in defense plants, so she taught a rural elementary school at Cowgill, MO for one year. From 1948 to 1955 she was employed by Montgomery Ward mail order as a multiple biller and instructor. Later in life she was employed by Antioch Center Sears from 1980 until her retirement May 1992. In 2000 she began volunteering at North Kansas City Hospital and remained there for 16 years and volunteered for a total of 8458 hours.

On October 1, 1949 she married Lester Allen Chandler of Butler, MO, whom she’d only known for 11 days. They were married in Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kansas City by Reverend Hartwig Dierks. Lester and Wilma were blessed with four children: Russell Darrell from Lester’s first marriage and Janet Elizabeth, Lana Jean, and Mara Lee.

During her lifetime, Wilma Jean was active in school affairs, both hers and her children’s. She was a Charter Member of Holy Cross Lutheran P.T.L., serving 2 ½ terms as Treasurer and 2 terms as Activity Chairman. She worked 6 years as a teacher’s aide at Holy Cross. Her hobbies were fancy work and collecting antique cut glass.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, her parents, the Aunt and Uncle who cared for her, their son Russell Darrell, an older sister Delores Fern, her younger brother Roger Burke, her half-sister Carol Sue Weigel.

She is survived by her daughters Janet Mann and Mark of Raytown, MO, Mara Lee Adams and Jeff of Kansas City, MO, Lana Brethauer and John of Rapid City, SD. She’s also leaves behind three half-sisters Dianne Tebbenkamp of Corder, MO, Marsha Boeschen of Sedalia, MO and Michelle Walker of Osage Beach, MO. Also survived by her are her grandchildren Jennifer Patterson, Brian Mann, John and James Adams, John and Jeremy Brethauer plus 6 great-grandchildren.

Wilma will be missed by all. She touched so many lives along the path she traveled before leaving this earth, keep her alive in your hearts for she is at peace and reunited with her loving husband.