Madaline Wilhelm, daughter of the late Harold Fern and Minnie Pearl Owens Thomas, was born in St. Louis on June 10, 1924, and died in Dexter on Sept. 18, 2014, at the age of 90.
She had lived in St. Louis, Kansas City and Pacific Grove, Calif., before returning to Puxico in 1946. She was a member of the First Methodist Church in Puxico, the Southeast Missouri China Painters, a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post #7822 and the Thursday Culture Club. She had been a clerk in the Puxico Post Office, Postmaster at Clarkton and had been the clerk for the city of Puxico. She graduated from Puxico High School and from Three Rivers Community College with an AA degree.
On July 17, 1946, she was married to Dean Wilhelm in Pocahontas, Ark. He preceded her in death on Oct. 11, 1997.
Surviving are three daughters and husbands, Cathy and Nelson Oakley of Jonesboro, Ark., Nancy Wilhelm of Cape Girardeau and Tammy and Tom Street of Bloomfield; one granddaughter, Lee Miller of Puxico. Other relatives and friends also survive. She was preceded in death by one brother, Mitchell Thomas and one sister, Julia Williams.
Graveside funeral services will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014, at 2 p.m. at the Puxico Cemetery with Rev. Wayne Burchett of Puxico officiating.
Interment will follow with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements.
The family requests that any memorials may be made to the Puxico Ministerial Alliance, c/o Glen Epps, 502 W Richardson, Puxico, Mo 63960.
On-line condolences may be shared at www.watkinsfuneralhome.com