On Tuesday, October 29, 2019, Wilma M. Wheatley passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 92. Wilma was born on July 9, 1927, in Crookston Minnesota to Herman and Virginia Radi. She was the second oldest of ten children. Wilma graduated salutatorian from Fisher High School in 1945. She then moved to Seattle, Washington to work as a telephone operator. Seattle is where she met and married Kenneth Wheatley on January 24, 1953. Wilma raised one son, Wayne and a granddaughter, Adrian. She adored her two great-grandchildren Isaiah and Maggie.
Wilma lived all over the world including Valdez, Alaska; Bonn, Germany; Fort Sil, Oklahoma and finally Austin, Texas.
Wilma had a productive career as an accountant clerk for the Veterans Administration. She loved to craft, she excelled in crocheting, embroidery, upholstering, and quilting. Wilma volunteered at Seton hospital for 15 years and had over 4,000 hours for crocheting hats and blankets for the newborns for the Guardian Angel program. In her later years, she loved to play cards and dominos with her girlfriends and fellow residents at the Conservatory.
Wilma is preceded in death by her father, Herman and her mother, Virginia, as well as her husband Ken, her sister Ruby, and her two brothers Victor and Gordon. She is survived by her son Wayne Wheatley and his wife Linda. Her granddaughter Adrian Spillane and her husband Matt with their two children Isaiah and Maggie. She is also survived by her siblings, Ivan Radi and his wife Margorie; Keith Radi and his wife Paula; Wally Radi and his wife Dorthey; Viola Bergeron and her husband Bernie; Orville Radi and Marie Gisler, as well as many nieces and nephews.
To some she was Wilma, while to many she was simply "Mommom." She was described by most as a loving and spunky woman that impacted all those she met. Her warm heart and bright smile will be greatly missed by friends and family.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at Bethany United Methodist Church on Anderson Mill Road. Viewing and reception start at 1:00 p.m. with the service beginning at 2:00 p.m. Those interested can then proceed to Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery on North Interstate 35 for a 4:00 p.m. graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Susan G. Koman End Breast Cancer would be greatly appreciated, as Wilma was a breast cancer survivor. (https://ww5.komen.org)
