On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, Wilma Elizabeth Vance entered into her eternal life in Heaven at the glorious age of 90. She was born Wilma Elizabeth Johnson on April 30, 1925 in Newland, North Carolina to Joe and Frances Johnson and spent the first 18 years of her life in Avery County, N.C.

In a true love story during WW2, she was introduced and courted long distance by her husband to be, Ernest M. Vance. They married while Ernest was on leave from the Navy in June of 1945 and began their married life at a Navy Base in Northern California. They moved to Newhalem, Washington in 1946 where they raised their three beautiful daughters Tina, Patsy, and Linda in a home filled with love, patience, and lots of laughter.

Wilma enjoyed working summers at the local cookhouse, participating in shooting sports, gardening, baking, and traveling to visit family and friends back home in North Carolina. She also loved camping and clam digging trips on the Washington coast with her daughters, and later in life shared this love with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

After retiring in the mid 1970’s, Wilma and Ernie built a home in Burlington, Washington. They soon joined Calvary Baptist Church, and it became a significant part of their lives. Wilma never missed the opportunity to serve each summer in the kitchen for Vacation Bible School, and baked uncountable amounts of delicious snicker doodles for the young children attending.

Throughout their retirement years, they kept in touch with many friends through the annual Pearl Harbor survivors reunions. Wilma and Ernie also made traveling to visit family in Alaska and North Carolina a priority, as family was always their biggest joy. Holidays were always spent with family, and Wilma’s baking and canning continually graced the holiday tables. Family members have been known to squabble over who got the last piece of her lemon meringue pie or the last pickle on the plate.

Wilma’s love for her family was shown in so many ways, whether it was something she made with great love and care like her pickles, jams, infamous pies, and embroidered pillowcases or sewing and repairing costumes and pajamas, she worked tirelessly and shared generously, taking great pride in caring for her loved ones. “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks” as described in Proverbs 31:17 and as Proverbs 31:31 states, we will continue to “honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate”. Her ability to listen and love unconditionally was a blessing to her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We often ended our conversations laughing with her over her unique expression of phrases she used to describe something, especially if it was during a competitive game of Yahtzee or Sorry.

Wilma is survived by her children, Tina and Rick Allen of Centralia, WA, Pat and Roger of Nelles of Wasilla, AK; sons-in-law Mike Cheek and his wife Monica of Mount Vernon, WA, and Rod Buchanan of Mount Vernon, WA; grandchildren, Jeff Nelles, Sean Allen, Jeanine Ferguson, Derek Allen, Amy Palanuik, Jennifer Fritz, Dustin Allen, Brandee Griffin, Stephanie Welch and Jake Cheek, as well as 21 great-grandchildren. As her family continues to grow, her legacy of love for her family will be carried on for generations to come, her traditions passed down will be cherished in our hearts and demonstrated often, and her steadfast faith in Jesus Christ will be treasured by us all. We will share with others the beauty and love that she taught us in such abundant measures.

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years Ernie Vance, her beloved daughter Linda Cheek, her parents Joe and Frances Johnson, and her siblings Ray Johnson and Grace Crutchfield, all of whom we are confident were greeting her at Heaven’s gates when Jesus took her home.

The celebration of her life will begin with a graveside service at the Hamilton Cemetery on Tuesday, October 6th at 11am followed by a memorial service at the Calvary Baptist Church in Burlington at 2pm. In honor of Wilma’s great love for her church, the family is requesting that any memorials be given to Calvary Baptist Church, 324 Avon Avenue, Burlington, WA 98233. A time of visitation will be available at Lemley Chapel on Monday from 9 am to 5 pm. Please share your memories of Wilma and sign the online guest register.