Funeral services were held Wednesday morning, Jan. 19, at Hastings Funeral Home in Jefferson for Wilma Irene McCurdy, 88, of Coon Rapids, longtime Greene County resident. The Rev. Don Ries, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson, officiated. Lula Garnes and great-granddaughter Jada Thompson were pianists.
Wilma Irene McCurdy, daughter of George William Williams and Ethel (Kloss) Williams, was born April 19, 1922 at Jefferson, Iowa and died January 16, 2011 at the Thomas Rest Haven Nursing Home in Coon Rapids, Iowa, at the age of 88 years, 8 months and 27 days.
Wilma grew up and attended school at Bayard and Frasier. On October 12, 1941, she was united in marriage with Thomas Stanley McCurdy. They were the parents of six children: Janice, Donna, Thomas, twins Marcia and Michael and Linda. The couple farmed near Rippey until 1965 when they moved to Cooper. Wilma primarily was a homemaker and mother, but she also worked at the Rippey Sales Barn, in the bakery at Jim’s supernal, at AMF, JC Penney’s, Brobst Café in Grand Junction and at the Jefferson Manor as a dietitian. Her hobbies included knitting Afghans, crocheting, canning and cooking. She made an afghan for each child, grandchild and great-grandchild. She especially loved her pets Fanny, Buffy and Baby. She will be remembered by her grandchildren as being “the greatest grandma ever.” Wilma was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson.
She was preceded in death by her parents, infant son Michael, her husband Thomas McCurdy; her half-siblings: Ruth Dickey, Mildred White, Wilber Hammer and Dale Hammer. Wilma is survived by her children: Janice Schlicht and her husband Dick of Rippey, Iowa; Donna Paulson of Boone, Iowa; Thomas McCurdy, Jr. and his wife Ramona of Chariton, Iowa; and Marcia Jerde and her husband Thomas of Clive, Iowa; 12 grandchildren: Michael Schlicht of Ralston, IA; Michelle Schlicht Walker (Wayne) of Silvis, IL; Sean Paulson (Kari) of Dana, IA; Shannon Paulson (Marlene) of Urbandale, IA; Lesa Seil of Jefferson, IA; Melissa Hagen of Jefferson, IA; Jennifer McCurdy of Des Moines, IA; Daniel McCurdy of Minneapolis, MN; Andrew McCurdy (Chary Swarthout) of Chariton, IA; Randall Hoyle (Sandra) of Del Mar, CA; Jack Pearce of Cooper, IA and Nicole Thompson (Lynn) of Coon Rapids, IA; 16 great-grandchildren: Miranda Schlicht; Cole Walker; Jessica, Kristina and Emily Paulson; Andrew Paulson; Tanner and Kenton Seil; Dylan Hagen; Mikayla McCurdy; Jolie Ana Hoyle, Catherine Hoyle, Emerson Hoyle, Livvi Belle Hoyle; Jada Thompson, and Macy Irene Thompson. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law: Pauline Hammer of Winterset, Iowa and Donna Hammer of Sterling, Kansas and cousin Merle Williams (Blanche) of Donna, TX; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.