Wilma Jean (Parslonis) Wood

October 30, 1935 – July 9, 2018

In loving memory of Wilma Jean (Parslonis) Wood.

Wilma was born Oct. 30, 1935 in Long Beach, Calif. She passed away on July 9, 2018 in Richland, Wash.

During her childhood Wilma lived up and down the west coast of the United States relocating with her mother and sister following her father who was in the Navy. Her parents separated and her mother remarried when Wilma was in her teens. She worked for the Bank of America in San Francisco until she met the love of her life. They married May 27, 1961.

They settled in San Leandro, Calif. and had three children. They lived there until 1977 when the family moved to Moses Lake, Wash.

Wilma was a homemaker and community volunteer. She held positions such as Girl Scout Cookie Chairwoman, assistant soccer coach and PTA committee member to name a few. She started her new “career” in 1980 as an Educational Assistant with the Moses Lake School District at Larson Heights Elementary School. She loved her teachers and colleagues and especially the children. She retired in 2002 after 22 years of service and relocated to Richland, Wash. where once again she sought out ways to serve her community. Wilma worked as a Kadlec Hospital Auxiliary Volunteer and with Seniors Helping All Kids Education (S.H.A.K.E) where she made many cherished friends. Wilma enjoyed cooking, entertaining, gardening and traveling.

Wilma is preceded in death by her parents Irma Inez (Brown) and John Parslonis; stepfather Vernon B. Smith; husband of 40 years Jack Phillip Wood Sr.; sister Irma Anne Clark and various other family members. She is survived by her children Margaret (Dennis) Loman, Deby (David) Brown, and Jack Jr. (Nikki) Wood. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren Megan and Jacob Loman, Matthew (Jennifer) and Justin Brown, Gunnar and Garrett Wood. She leaves behind her niece and husband Stacy (Jack) Stroppini and their children Jamie and Jared Stroppini, with whom she shared a very special relationship. She was blessed in life with a large group of dedicated friends and colleagues. She was kind, thoughtful, gracious, generous, hospitable and grateful. She was also stubborn and determined. She saw beauty in the world and liked pretty things. She had a love of movies, musicals and anything Disney.

She would want to thank all of the people at Prestige Assisted Living and Richland Rehabilitation who go to work every day and serve their residents/patients with the utmost care. Thank you, too, to those who serve our community with Kadlec Medical Center, Trios Hospital, Tri-Cities Cancer Center and Chaplaincy Health Care. To all who walked beside her these last five years: you enriched her life and in doing so blessed her and her family, Thank you.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Auditorium Hall at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1111 Stevens Dr., Richland, Wash., Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Knights of Columbus Hospital Equipment Lend Program or The Tri-Cities Cancer Center.