Wilma Adele Graden

Wilma Adele Maxton Graden, 94, of Grinnell, IA passed away on September 12, 2025, at the Mayflower Community Health Center in Grinnell, IA.

A memorial gathering will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm with a short program beginning at 2:30 pm on October 4, 2025, at the Roudabush Cornerstone (formerly Buckley Dining Hall, 619 Park St., Grinnell, IA).

A graveside service will be held at 1:00 pm on November 8, 2025, in Cape Girardeau, MO at Salem Cemetery and then a gathering at 2:00 pm at the Elks Lodge in Cape Girardeau, MO.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made payable to the Mayflower Residents Assistance Fund mailed in c/o Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.

Wilma was born on May 8, 1931, in St. Louis, MO to Wallace Albert and Adele Wilhelmina (Obrock) Maxton. She graduated from Central High School in Cape Girardeau, MO with the class of 1948. She attended Southeast Missouri State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree.

On April 12, 1952, Wilma was united in marriage to Victor L. Graden in Cape Girardeau, MO. To this union the couple had three children: Roger, Barry and Lori.

Wilma stayed home to raise her children until Lori was in 2nd grade. She then started as a teacher paraprofessional before she got her teaching certificate at St. Ambrose College. She taught middle school science in the Bettendorf school district for over 25 years, until her retirement in June of 1990.

Music was a large part of Wilma's life. She was the organist and pianist at Faith United Church of Christ in Davenport, IA for over 20 years. Wilma enjoyed traveling around the world with Victor, nature, camping, and hiking, crafting, knitting and sewing, reading, playing bingo and collecting rocks. She will be remembered for her great sense of humor and being active in numerous social groups. She instilled the love of learning in her family and loved spending quality time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She would spend quality time with all of her grandchildren and spend the week with them or take them to grandparents' camp.

Wilma is survived by her children; Roger (Julie) Graden of Ames, IA, Barry (Lela) Graden of Simpsonville, SC, and Lori Graden Lockhart of Iowa City, IA; her grandchildren, Ryan (Kristin) Graden of Dayton, IA, Sarah (Levi) Lanz of Melissa, TX, David (Heidi) Graden of Duncan, SC, Kristin (Ben) Weeks of Lake Wylie, SC, Keegan (Kelsey) Lockhart of Iowa City, IA, and Kyle Lockhart of Manchester, NH; 14 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Ruth of Picayune, MS.

She is preceded by her husband, Victor, her parents, Wallace and Adele; and her brother, Ralph.