Wilma Kate (Lehn) Williams was born September 30, 1929 in Ainsworth, Nebraska. She passed away on January 27, 2025 in Salida Colorado at the age or 95.
Wilma was the fifth child or seven born to Frank and Anna (Januschewski) Lehn. She grew up as the daughter of a Nebraska dirt farmer, moving quite often in and around Ainsworth and Long Pine Nebraska and attending country schools. She was the first of her siblings to graduate from Long Pine High School in 1937.
After high school, she spent time on her oldest sister’s ranch caring for her young nephew until she secured a job as a telephone operator. She held that job for fifteen or sixteen years until the new dial system came into service in 1963. She was married to Russell Wayne Williams in 1954, a marriage that only lasted a little over fifteen years with the death of Wayne in 1969. By this time the family had been relocated to Buena Vista following Wayne’s job and Wilma dedicated her life to raising their three daughters.
She was the proud mother of Anita Kay (Williams) Allinger, Linette Lea Williams and Angela Ann Williams. The birth of her daughters was spread out over thirteen years so she was left a widow with a fifteen year old, a seven year old, and an infant. Through her determination and hard work, she saw her two oldest through college and cared for the youngest for 56 years. This dedication included working as church janitor for forty years to supplement the family’s income.
Wilma was preceded in death by her parents and five brothers and sisters, Frank and Anna Lehn, Laura Cline, Ralph Lehn, Edna Sanko, Donald Lehn, and John Lehn. She has one remaining sister, Marion Rummsey of Washington state, her husband Wayne, and two daughters Linette and Angela had also preceded her. She leaves behind one daughter Anita Kay (Steve) Allinger and one granddaughter Alicia Ann Allinger.
