Wilma Durham

On Saturday, December 29, 2018, Wilma Jane (Willis) Durham, loving wife and mother of three, passed away at the age of 82. Wilma was born August 27, 1936 in Brainerd, MN, the daughter of Harold and Borghild (Olson) Willis. She grew up in Jenkins, Pequot Lakes and Brainerd and graduated from Brainerd High School.

In the summer of 1955 Wilma met Eugene Stanley Durham and after a whirlwind courtship the two were married on November 12, 1955. The couple soon began raising a family together and moved from Brainerd to Baudette and then on to Thief River Falls. Ultimately landing in the Twin Cities metro area, Wilma lovingly raised the couple’s three girls while working part-time in various administrative positions. In 1990 Wilma and Gene retired and returned to their roots in the Brainerd Lakes Area. During retirement, they enjoyed traveling together and volunteering at Bethany and Woodland Good Samaritan Homes. They were members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Brainerd. Wilma was an avid bowler and enthusiastic Vikings fan, but most of all, she loved spending time with family and friends going out for lunch and playing cards.

Wilma will be greatly missed by her children, Terry (Steve) Andrusko of Brooklyn Center, JoAnn Durham of Maple Grove and Jean (Mark) Scanlon of Bloomington; four grandchildren, Emily (Patrick) Nahan, Andrew (Jacia Wanous) Andrusko, Erin (Matt Guthrie) Scanlon and Rachel Scanlon; and two great grandsons, Damis and Cameron Nahan. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Eugene; brothers George, John, and Harold Willis; twin brother Wilbur Willis, and sisters Alice Benson, Donna Mae Nelson and Artemis Willis.

A memorial service celebrating Wilma’s life will be held at 11 AM, Friday, January 4, 2019 at the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service and a luncheon will follow the service. A private inurnment will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) or the Macula Vision Research Foundation (www.mvrf.org).

Brenny Funeral Chapel and Cremation Services

www.brenny.com

800.824.5051