Adelia Lavond Wilnerd
https://www.plumergobber.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=28912450
August 9, 1928 - September 2, 2023
Adelia Lavond Cate was born Thursday, August 9, 1928 in Almena, Kansas. She was the second child of Clarence and Helen Cate. She passed away September 2, 2023 at the age of 95 at the Andbe Home in Norton.
Adelia’s brother and only sibling Robert was 4 ½ years older. In April 1943, Dorothy and Dolores Woodard came to live with her family and became her sisters. She entered first grade at Almena Grade School where her teacher was Miss Opal Voight (later became Opal Graham). The principal was Mr. J.E. Rankin. Adelia graduated eighth grade and entered high school the next year.
After graduation in the Class of 1946, she enrolled in Central Business College of Denver, Co. She completed her training there and worked in Denver for several years. Her jobs in Denver were as secretary and in accounting at the Denver Post and Denver Fire/Clay.
She became friends in high school with Dean Wilnerd. He served in Uncle Sam’s Army in the South Pacific during World War II. After being wounded in Japan he was sent to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver. When he was discharged he came back to Almena and started farming.
They were married on February 4, 1951 at the Almena Congregational Church and lived in the Almena area. Their two daughters were born while living southwest of Calvert on 36 highway. Nancy Ann Hogan was born January 22, 1955 and Gayle Lea Tacha was born February 20, 1958. They purchased their home on Rd I in 1960.
Adelia began her career as a school secretary while still in high school. She enrolled in an office practice class and worked for Mr. Rankin. After she married, she began working for Mr. Rankin in the high school office and worked for the schools for 35 years before retiring in 1990. During those years, there were 10 different superintendents. At one time she worked for ½ day for the high school and ½ for the grade school. When school unification came along, she applied to the Unification Board and worked for them during the interim time. There were many struggles, but Northern Valley Schools was organized and has been a blessing for the two communities. Adelia had many duties; she was the secretary to the superintendent, clerk of the board, bookkeeper for the district and high school office secretary. As duties increased, elementary secretaries were added to the office staff.
Adelia was a member of the Congregational Church of Almena, and they both served in many capacities within the church.
She was a 60-year member and Past Noble Grand of the Rebeka Lodge, a 75 year member and past president of Paul D. Linnell Legion Auxiliary (she is still a current member) and a member and past president of the Almena Study Club. During the years she worked she was a member of the Kansas Education Secretaries Association and the Kansas Association of School Business Officials. Continuing education was available through these professional organizations, and she learned methods to improve the processes to make the business office run more proficiently.
School has been an important part of our family life and her two daughters have worked within the schools. Nancy was a para in Long Island and is currently driving a school bus route and Gayle was the secretary and treasurer of the Hoxie Schools and retired as the clerk of the board.
More than anything Adelia loved her family. The birth of her grandchildren and great children brought her great joy.
“Superintendent Bill Lowry brightened my day when he called to tell me I had been nominated for the Wall of Fame. It was a surprise and an honor that means more to me than I can say. The moments I shared, the friends I made, all the board members, administrators, the teachers and staff, parents and students through the years are engraved in my memory. What fond memories!” – Adelia Wilnerd
Adelia is survived by her children Nancy Ann (Wilnerd) Hogan and husband David of Long Island, KS and Gayle Lea (Wilnerd) Tacha and husband Royal of Hoxie, KS; grandchildren Justin Hogan and wife Debbie, Travis Hogan and wife Mandy, Dillon Hogan and wife Cheyenne, Ashley (Tacha) Brooks and husband Austin, and Garrett Tacha and wife Sarah Jo; great-grandchildren Hunter, Kylor, and Jensen Hogan, Mason, Delila, Karlene and Boone Hogan, Brynna and Ayden Brown, and Josephine, Tucker and Boston Tacha; sister Dolores (Woodard) Lessor; sister and brother-in-law Betty Joyce (Wilnerd-Davis) and David Carter; nieces and nephews Philip and Megan Cate, Richard and Barbara Cate, Deborah (Cate) and Richard Rawlings, Wendi (Davis) and Roger Stamback; Fred and Lori Chandler, Kristi (Chandler) and Sam Schnuerle, Karla (Chandler) and Bart Kenton, Karen (Chandler) and Loren Kats, Kelly Lessor, Kim (Lessor) and Karl Baker; many great-nieces and nephews, and cousin Billy Jean Westerman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dean; brother Robert (Margorie) Cate; sister Dorothy (Keith) Chandler; sister-in-law Wanda Mae (Jack) Mechsner; brother-in-law Harold DeWayne Davis; nephews Michael Davis, Scott Davis, and Ronald Cate, and niece Debra Davis.
A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 14, 2023 at the funeral home. Inurnment will follow at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Almena, KS. The urn was made by her great-grandson, Hunter Hogan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Adelia Wilnerd Memorial Fund to help with updating the directory at Mt. Hope Cemetery and the purchasing of new wreaths for Memorial Day, they may be sent in care of Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654.
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