Isabel Wildeman

In Loving Memory of Isabel Acosta Wildeman

12/09/1941-01/05/2025

Isabel Wildeman, loving mother, wife, friend and dedicated social worker passed away peacefully in her assisted living apartment in Orlando, Florida. She was 83.

Isabel was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on December 9, 1941. She was predeceased by her mother, Pura Acosta (Diaz) and her father Jorge Acosta, her brother Jorge Acosta and her beloved husband John Wildeman.

After attending Rosarian Academy in Vero Beach for high school, Isabel went to the University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelors of Science in psychology which she took to New York City where she worked at Bellvue Psychiatric Hospital. There she met her future husband, John Wildeman, who was in fact not a patient but an employee at the hospital.

Following a Master's in Social Work at Columbia University, Isabel moved to Long Island, NY to start a family and her career at Peninsula Counseling Center (PCC) in Woodmere, N.Y., where she worked with individuals, families and groups dealing with mental health challenges. While her husband John taught at Hofstra University, Isabel worked her way up through PCC to manage the Inwood unit. She also had a successful and long running private practice based in Rockville Center, N.Y.

Isabel and John had their only child, Peter, in 1976 and doted on him and made sure he had everything he could ever want. Isabel loved to travel with her family to Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. In Japan she taught English for the year while John took a Fullbright Scholarship to teach sociology in Tokyo.

A big believer in self care, Isabel, following the untimely death of her husband in 1993, embarked on a journey of regular exercise, yoga and salads every day of the week, all made on Sunday. Isabel indulged in organization preferring to lead a clean and orderly lifestyle. She did not push any of this on her family, thank goodness. She had a weakness for vanilla ice cream and was known to finish the entire pint.

Isabel defined herself first as a mother and friend and a close second as a social worker. She loved to help people through talking, goal setting and helping them through difficult times. She cherished getting together with friends for movies, meals, malls and mochas. Her friends meant the world to her and our closeknit Hempstead community supported and loved her back. Her dear friends Eva Roca, Valerie Heisler, Paulette Silver, Daphne Sleem and Rochelle Potak (among many, many others) provided support and love throughout her life in Long Island.

Following her late-in-life move back to Florida to be with Peter's family, she was surrounded by her grandchildren and lovingly embraced by Sarah's family. She loved to attend Sunday dinners and holidays between Peter and Sarah's house and Dan and Bev Meadors' house.

Isabel is survived by her son, Peter, daughter-in-law Sarah and her three beloved grandchildren, John Paul, Josephine Belle (named after Isabel) and Jessica May, her sister Haydee Cordero, Cape Coral, Florida and many nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the staff at The Orlando Lutheran Towers, particularly the staff at the Windsor and Vitas Hospice for their skilled and loving care for Isabel and her family. We are especially grateful to Vitas staff nurse Terry and nursing assistant Patricia Floyd and Chaplain Glen for being with her and taking good care of her with dignity and respect and for shepherding us as Mom transitioned from this life.

Isabel will be remembered as a nurturing mother, loving and patient wife, caring friend, and one who endeavored to live a life of generosity and selflessness. An online memorial will follow.