Wilma A. (Munch) Wasinger-Drake, 93, died on Nov. 25, 2023, at Cedar Village, Ness City. She was born on the family farm Aug. 24, 1930, in the Nonchalanta Territory in Southwest Ness County. The daughter of Jacob and Lucy (Schoendaller) Munch, she was one of 13 children. Growing up on a farm, her job was milking the cows.
Wilma attended grade school at the Nonchalanta country school, and high school in Dighton, where she lived with her sister. She was on the basketball team, and this is where she met and later married her husband, Nick Wasinger, who was a referee at some games.
Faith was most important to her. She was a devout member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ness City and a member of the Altar Society where she served on many committees and cooked for many funeral dinners as well as helped with the Fall Festival for many years.
Family played an important role in her life. She was mother and grandmother to eight children, 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. They were her pride and joy and she looked forward to their visits so she could play cards, dice, or board games with them. She instilled her love of baking and cooking in her children and grandchildren by teaching them all her little secret tricks.
The community was also an important part of Wilma’s life. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She cooked and served, free of charge, many benefit dinners for the improvement and upkeep of the American Legion building. Wilma worked at the local café as a cook and later catered many, many weddings, reunions, anniversary parties and Co-op dinners. Everyone loved her fried chicken and roast beef.
Her hobbies included sewing, playing bingo, going to the casino, cards and dancing. She played the piano and played with a local band, Munsch and Rohr of Ness City. After Nick passed away, she later married Earl Drake.
She is survived by her children, Linda Denning (Bob), Hays, Lavonne Coker (Tom), Hays, Luciann Ogden (Johnny), Canon City, Colo., Layne and Alan Wasinger, Ness City.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Nick Wasinger and Earl Drake, sons, Kenneth, James, and Verlyn Wasinger, grandsons, Justin Cox and Tanner Mishler, and granddaughter Courie Cox.
Parish Vigil will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29 at Sacred Heart Church, Ness City followed by burial in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 9:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Memorial contributions may be given to Sacred Heart Cemetery or Sacred Heart Church.
Memories and words of support may be left for the family by writing in the guest book at www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com.