Wilma Templeman

Wilma Templeman, 98, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Friday, April 18, 2008, at the Allen House in Atlantic.

Wilma Eleanor Smith was born June 11, 1909, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of William and Eleanor (Sawyer) Smith. She attended Technical High School in Omaha.

In 1925 she was united in marriage to C. Van Harlan. They farmed in the Logan, Iowa area and raised three daughters. She worked as a self-employed seamstress and later at Goldstein-Chapman in Omaha, Nebraska. After Van's death in 1963, she met and married Ralph Templeman of Atlantic in 1967. The couple farmed near Atlantic. Ralph and Wilma enjoyed traveling after they retired and spent one winter at their second home in Arizona. Wilma continued this routine after Ralph passed away in 1983 until 2004.

Wilma was a member of the United Methodist Church in Wiota. She was a life long member of the Rebekah Lodge #87, and honored to have been a Past Noble Grand.

Wilma is survived by her daughters, Lois Kuehl and her husband, Henry of Petosky, Michigan and Carole Bates and her husband, Norman of Treynor, Iowa; son-in-law, Conrad Fitch of Paynesville, Minnesota; grandsons, Conrad Craig Fitch of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mark Kuehl and his wife, Judy of Midland, Michigan, Tom Kuehl and his wife, Marie of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steven Kuehl and his wife, Mary Ann of Stevensville, Michigan, Eric Bates and his wife, Robin of Dallas, Texas, and John Bates and his wife, Carol of Kalona, Iowa; 12 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William and Eleanor Smith; first husband, C. Van Harlan; second husband, Ralph Templeman; daughter, Phyllis Fitch; grandson in infancy, Randall Fitch; brother,
Charlie Smith; and sister, Lela Hoover.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 24, 2008, at the United Methodist Church in Wiota.

A private family burial will be held prior to the memorial service in the Atlantic Cemetery.

Open visitation will be held from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.

Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church in Wiota.