Wilma M. Wendt

Wilma M. Wendt Wilma was born in February 1909 on a homestead near Eckley, CO on the second day of a three day blizzard. This introduction to life in addition to growing up on a dry land sheep/cattle/farm lent to her pioneering spirit and love of life and competition. Her parents were Charles and Emma (Metzger) Catchpole. She was third in a family of six siblings—one of whom died in infancy. She attended the proverbial one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade, and lived, during the week, in Eckley to attend high school. She was an outstanding athlete and excelled in many sports, especially basketball. She loved music and often sang at family and community events. Wilma was the first in her immediate family to attend college. She worked as a nanny during her college years and graduated from Colorado Teacher's College (now UNC) in Greeley with a two-year degree in elementary education. She taught third and fourth grades in Atwood, CO. It was while she was teaching that she met and married a young Lutheran pastor, Emil (Mil) F. Wendt. Wilma and Mil lived in Sterling and Fort Morgan, Colorado prior to moving to Fort Collins in January of 1940 where they resided until 1958. They lived in Grand Junction, CO from 1958 to 1969. They spent a year in Redway, California in partial retirement until Mil fully retired and they returned to Grand Junction in 1971. Following Mil's death in 1973, Wilma remained in Grand Junction until she moved back to Fort Collins to be near her daughter in 1984. The Wendts had three children, Bill (Barbara) of Midpines, CA, Louise Wendt White of Fort Collins, and Ted (Judy) of Warsaw, IN. The Wendts enjoyed family mealtimes (aka family discussions, history lessons, and the like) and always played together. The family camped, hiked, and explored Rocky Mountain National Park often and Wilma loved nature. Wilma was spontaneous and fun-loving, and this along with her competitive nature, made her a wonderful role model and playmate. Games were a part of life in the Wendt household. Wilma had many jobs during her lifetime. In addition to being a minister's wife, she taught school, worked as a receptionist, a caretaker in nursing homes, and, during World War II, as a machinist refurbishing B-17s at a plant in Cheyenne, WY. In her later years she became an accomplished artist, largely supporting herself with her paintings after Mil died. Throughout her life she was an expert seamstress and tailor, did amazing needlework, was a creative cook and a wonderful wife and mother. She worked alongside her husband doing the work of the Lord and endeavored always to live her Christian values. She was preceded in death by her husband, brother Ralph Catchpole, sisters Ruth Allen and Meda Pearl Catchpole and son-in-law, Andy White. She is survived by her brother Loren Catchpole, sister Margaret Pittman, her children, 6 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at 11:00 Monday, July 21, 2008. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, the Food Bank for Larimer County, or Heifer International in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 650 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526.