Wilma J. Whaley

Wilma Jane Whaley, 92, of Chula Vista, California, passed away on September 2nd, 2023. Wilma was born on March 5th, 1931 to Henry and Jennie Snelling in New Jersey. She married Albert Whaley Jr, a sailor, in 1950. The two raised five children, Robert Lee, Barbara Ann, Michael Ray, Roberta Rae and Jennifer Ann. She is survived by her sisters Miriam and Anna and her brother Danny.

As a Navy wife, she held the home together through many seven to nine month long deployments.

Her natural creativity emerged at an early age designing and sewing her own clothes. She honed these skills sewing for her children and eventually taught sewing and pattern making. Her other love being painting - always precise with her technique in the execution of each creation. She shared this love with anyone interested in trying.

Truly her greatest love in life was children. To the very end, they brought sparkle to her life. For many years she cared for the small children of her congregation during church services “adopting” every child that came into her world.

To her grandchildren she was first popcorn grandma eventually becoming mema. She told everyone; just call me mema because she claimed them all as one of hers. She leaves behind five children, 26 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren.

Wilma was predeceased by her parents, Henry and Jennie Snelling, her brother James Snelling and her husband Albert Whaley.

A celebration of Wilma Whaley’s life will be held on September 25th, 2023 at Glen Abbey Little Chapel of the Roses in Bonita, California: viewing from 10:00 to 12:00, Celebration of Life from 12:00 to 1:00, committal service at 1:30 followed by a reception.

Her legacy is unconditional love – bunches and bunches of it.