Wanda passed away peacefully in her sleep at home in Rainbow Acres, Quartzsite, Arizona on May 20, 2023, at the age of 67. Wanda is survived by her husband, Robert Delling; her son, Chad Harris; her daughter, Melanie Glenwright (Dave Gregory); and her grandchild, Kate Glenwright. She is also survived by her brother, Ben Spreacker (Debbie), and sister, Pauline Soulatzkoff, as well as her nieces and nephews residing in Saskatchewan.
Born on August 2, 1955, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Wanda made her escape from that province at the age of 18 to pursue a bartending career in the lounge of the Maryland Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Wanda often reminisced about the "classy" Maryland lounge of those days. It was there that she met her first husband, Ken Harris. Within two years, they welcomed their first child and embarked on building a house on a waterfront lot in Petersfield, Manitoba. Four years later, their second child was born. During her 25 years in Petersfield, Wanda led an active lifestyle, engaging in daily walks, gardening, playing cards with her in-laws, and boating on Netley Creek. She held various part-time jobs, including driving instructor and wedding dress salesperson.
In 2000, Wanda retired to Quartzsite, Arizona, where she cherished the desert life with its warmer temperatures, friendly neighbors, flea markets, and reasonably priced wine. In 2007, she married Robert Delling, and together they shared a peaceful life with occasional cruise ship vacations and trips to the casino to play bingo. Robert provided devoted care to Wanda during her final two years, as she dealt with complications from cancer. Throughout this challenging time, Wanda, a resilient woman, never voiced any complaints and surpassed the doctors' predictions by 1.5 years.
Wanda was proud of her family heritage, being of Métis and Chippewa descent. In 2001, she achieved her goal of becoming an American citizen. Wanda always valued her appearance and made sure to look her best, never leaving the house without perfectly styled hair, makeup, and nails. She adored jewelry, curling, pedicures, bedazzled jackets, Michael Jackson hats, The Rolling Stones, tabloid magazines, and animal print clothing. Though she possessed a quiet demeanor, Wanda had a strong personality. Whenever she felt frustrated with Ken, she would playfully exploit his color blindness by suggesting his outfit for the day. Ken would believe he was wearing his usual colors, unaware that he had donned a pink shirt and rainbow-colored shorts. Wanda was the life of the party, staying up late at bonfires with her daughter Mel's friends when Mel had already gone to bed. During a recent trip to Disneyland in 2019, Wanda found great amusement in riding the Harry Potter attraction with vibrating seats. She had sweet dance moves, a keen eye for fashion, an optimistic outlook on life, and a wicked sense of humor. Wanda will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
In accordance with Wanda's wishes, no funeral will be held. She would prefer that you not mourn her passing. If you wish to honour Wanda’s life, visit the casino, play bingo, and raise a glass of Chardonnay with ice. Condolences may be sent to Robert at r_delling@yahoo.com, and Melanie and Chad at Melanie.Glenwright@umanitoba.ca.
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