Wilma (Shorty) Melvina Berglan, age 101, of Norman, died Sunday morning, March 28, 2021 in the home of her son, Bill Berglan, northeast of Norman in the rural Stella area. Wilma had resided for the past 34 yrs on her son Bill’s property and in Bill’s home for the past 3 yrs where he and his wife, Nancy, have been her care-givers. Wilma was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church of Bethel, OK.
Wilma was born on September 9th, 1919 at a home on the family farm north of Norman. She was the third child of William A. Bowles and Leora (Grotts) Bowles and has been a lifelong resident of the Norman area. Her Grandfather Grotts donated a parcel of land in the northwest corner of his farm for a rural school to be built. As a child, Wilma attended Grotts School for grades 1 thru 8. She completed her schooling in Norman Public Schools and at Hill’s Business College in Oklahoma City.
Wilma married Lloyal S. Berglan in January of 1939 and they began their marriage living on the Berglan family farm with Lloyal’s father, George Berglan where they helped with the farming activities. Wilma and Lloyal later bought a house and moved into Norman where they resided at 515 E. Rich Street which is now part of the south parking lot for Norman Hospital. They were members of the Goodrich Memorial Methodist Church. Wilma and the boys lived in San Diego, CA for a short period of time when Lloyal was stationed there in the Navy during WWII. Lloyal worked for the Norman Fire Department and Wilma worked for the Oklahoma Electric Cooperative. When Lloyal had his twenty years at the fire department, he and Wilma both retired at a young age (early forties) and they began to travel and enjoy seeing the country. They both loved traveling and traveled in virtually all of the 48 continental United States.
When her dad, William Bowles’ health failed, Wilma and Lloyal moved to the Bowles farm to care for her dad, and Lloyal took over the farming operation which they did for thirteen years until his passing. Wilma’s husband, Lloyal, actually passed away about six weeks before her father passed.
Wilma was preceded in death by her father and mother, Bill and Leora Bowles; by her husband, Lloyal Berglan; brothers Cecil and Glenn Bowles; sister Dorothy (Bowles) Scudder; and by their spouses; by daughter-in-law Kathy Berglan (Dennis); by granddaughter-in-law Judy Berglan (Lance); by three great-grandchildren, and by many nieces, nephews, and friends.
She is survived by her two sons, Dennis L. Berglan and his wife Kristina; William (Bill) Berglan and his wife Nancy; by grandchildren Lance Berglan, Cindy (Berglan) Neighbors and husband Phil, Traci (Berglan) Roper and husband Will, Angela (Berglan) Wilson and husband Ron, and Julie Berglan; and by 10 great grandchildren, 15 great-great grandchildren; and by several nieces and nephews.
