Wilma Marguerite Wells Fogarty, age 95, of Gloucester, Va., died at the home of her daughter, Theresa Stavens, on Nov. 30, 2015.
The daughter of Harry Cole and Frieda Levsen Wells, Wilma was born on Sept. 4, 1920 in Doland, S.D. She was the oldest of Harry and Frieda’s three children. Following graduation from East High School, Sioux City, Iowa, Wilma moved to Chicago and completed a two-year nursing program at St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing. She joined the Army Nursing Corps in 1942 and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., where she met her husband, Army Corps of Engineers Captain Charles Franklin Fogarty.
Wilma was an extraordinary woman and lived an extraordinary life. For her, love of God and family came first, and being productive and making a contribution to the world around her came a close second. Having raised eight children in Sioux City, Iowa; Bogota, Colombia, South America; Golden, Colo.; Houston, Texas, and Rye, N.Y., she returned to her nursing career as a psychiatric nurse. After relocating with her husband and youngest child Theresa to Darien, Conn., she became a realtor.
Wilma was tragically widowed in 1981. Despite her loss, Wilma fully embraced her role as family matriarch. In an effort to be closer to her children, Wilma moved to Oakton, Va., in 1990. In 1992, Wilma moved to Williamsburg, Va. Her home in Kingsmill was a frequent gathering place for children and grandchildren. Educational trips to Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown were a must. Wilma never stopped learning. She was an avid reader and enjoyed participating in Christopher Wren continuing education programs. Wilma was an enthusiastic duplicate bridge player, earning many master points over the years.
Wilma enjoyed attending daily mass at St. Bede. Dedicated to arriving on time, she had a habit of exceeding the Kingsmill speed limit. On one occasion, after being stopped by a traffic officer, Wilma explained that she was in a hurry to get to church. The officer replied, “God can wait.” Devoted to her country, she engaged fully in political life. In her later years she took great joy in the simple pleasures of nature: looking at the sky and listening to the birds sing.
Wilma was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Charles F. Fogarty; daughter, Patricia Kappus, and sister, Marvel Torkelson.
Survivors include her children, Charles M. Fogarty and wife Jane, Harry W. Fogarty and wife Aileen, Mary Fogarty Finegan and husband Patrick, Cathy Fogarty Peterson and husband Jim, Joan Fogarty Donaldson and husband Gary, Paul Thomas Fogarty, Theresa Fogarty Stavens and husband Troy; son-in-law, Bill Kappus; brother, Fred Wells; nieces, Bonnie T. Bailey, Julie T. Crawford, Laurie T. Cubit, Sue W. Sargeant, and nephews, Mike and Greg Wells. She also is survived by her 21 grandchildren, Charles, Thomas, and John Fogarty; Mairin, Qiu Meng, and Mei Lan Fogarty; Anne K. Raiken, Katy K. Tramel, and Margaret K. Tigre; Sean and Katherine Finegan; Laura, Andrew, Mary Rose Peterson and Pamela P. Martinez; Gary, Timothy, and Stephen Donaldson; Edward, Charles, and James Fogarty, and her 10 great-grandchildren, Amelia, Rye, Eleanor, Charles, Lucy and Anna Fogarty; Beatrice Raiken; and William, Phineas and Mathias Tramel.
A mass of Christian Liturgy conducted by the Rev. Jim Cowles will be held Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, at 11 a.m. at St. Therese Catholic Church, 6262 Main Street, Gloucester, Va.
The family will receive friends Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Hogg Funeral Home in Hayes. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to St. Therese Catholic Church, 6262 Main Street, Gloucester, Va. 23061.
Family and friends may share condolences and memories at www.hoggfh.com.