Wilma Eugenia Magaldi

Wilma died January 5, 2013 at home. She was 94.

Wilma was born April 30, 1918 at her grandmother Marston's home on Gas Point Road, in Cottonwood.

Her parents were Clyde and Goldene (Marston) Smith and so she joined the Billy Smith pioneer family of Shasta County.

The oldest of four children, she attended Kimball Plains Grammer School, Anderson Union High School, graduating in the Class of 1935, and attended Heald's Business College in Sacramento from 1935 - 1936.

After surving a bad auto accident in 1936, she returned home to recover. The next year, to help a friend, she became a soda jerk at the Sugarie in Redding where she met her future husband, Frank A. Magaldi Jr., who was a bellhop at the Golden Eagle Hotel.

Over time she held jobs at the Shasta County Recorder's Office and the Shasta County Welfare Office. Frank left Redding to attend Timm Aircraft training in Southern California and eventually became an employee of Lockheed Aircraft of Burbank, California. In 1942, Wilma moved to Glendale where she and Frank were married and during World War II both worked at Lockheed until son, Michael Anthony, was born and Wilma retired. Six years later a daughter, Toni Ann, was born into the family.

Frank and Wilma left Southern Califonia and moved back to Shasta County in the early 50's, opened a real estate office on Yuba Street and then on Market Street, and ran it for over 20 years before semi-retiring and eventually moving to Happy Valley in the late 70's.

Frank died in 1979 and Wilma became a volunteer Foster Grandmother working at schools in Happy Valley for the next 20 plus years. She really enjoyed working with the kids, the teachers, and the other grandmas.

Wilma is survived by her daughter, Toni Ann of Anderson; her son Michael and wife, Carole, their three daughters Michelle, Anna, Christina and husband Dan and son, Royce, all of Southern California; her sister Dene Kaufner of Redding and her brother James Smith and wife, Evelyn, of Elk Grove; and many cherished nieces and nephews and their spouses and children. Wilma's sister Betty and husband Earl Bibbens, an Dene's husband, Herb, preceded her in death.

Following a funeral Mass at St. Joseph's Church, Wilma will be buried alongside of Frank at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Redding.

Thanks to all who provided her medical care, and to Mercy Hospice for their sincere concern and efforts to make her comfortable.

Donations can be made to Happy Valley Primary School in her memory.