Wilma Lois Workman

Wilma Lois Shepard Workman, 87, passed away peacefully on April 20, 2019. Wilma was born in Sterling, Michigan on October 2, 1931. The youngest of 10 children of Lena Elizabeth (Daniels) and Melvin Ervin Shepard, she was a tomboy who loved growing up on a farm and preferred working outdoors with the men to housekeeping.

Wilma reached her full height of 5’8” by age 11 and was a star basketball player as well as valedictorian of her class at Sterling-Standish High School. After attending college at Bob Jones University and earning a teaching degree, she returned to Michigan and became a high-school English teacher at Clio High School, where she also directed the school play each year. While working on her Master’s degree at Michigan State University, Wilma met Arvin Workman, and they married just a few months later. Wilma gave up her job to become a wife and mother to 4 children—but she always remained a teacher. Settling in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1969 for Arv’s career as a professor at Indiana State University, Wilma, who loved the Lord, taught Sunday School and Children’s Church at West Terre Haute Baptist Church for over 30 years. She was also a member of the ISU Wives and Newcomers Clubs. Once her children were school-aged, she ran a small nutrition and health business out of her home. Wilma loved nothing more than spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was never too busy to let them come stay with her for as long as their parents would let them. When her health began to fail, Wilma went to live with her daughter Jill and her family, who cared for her during her final years.

Wilma is survived by one brother, Basil Shepard (Geri), two sisters-in-law, Joyce Workman and Marlette Randall, four children Larry (Lisa) Workman, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Jill (Kevin) Martin of Asheville, North Carolina, Jenny (Ron) Pitcock of Fort Worth, Texas, and Missy (Kai) Soltau of Vienna, Austria; grandchildren Christine (Ricky), Levi, Josh, Sawyer (Jessica), Keegan, Graedon, McCade, Delaney, Finley, Madeline, Henry, Eliza, Hope and Jonas; and great-granddaughters Sadie and Mila, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at First Baptist Church of West Terre Haute on Saturday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the children’s ministry of First Baptist Church of West Terre Haute, 205 South 5thStreet, West Terre Haute, IN 47885.