Wanda Godwin

Wanda Godwin was born July 9, 1923 in Des Moines, Iowa to Cletus and Marie Willcockson. She was the eldest of five children. Wanda graduated from North High School in 1941. She married Earl Godwin, who she had met on a blind date, in June of 1942. She moved to a farm near Redfield, Iowa with no electricity, no running water, and an outhouse. She cooked on a wood-fired stove and hauled water from a well outside the back door.

Wanda raised chickens and had a large garden to help feed her family, but she could not clean and cook a chicken in the same day. One spring she nurtured 250 baby chicks in an upstairs bedroom until they were able to survive outside.

Wanda and Earl were blessed with two children, David, deceased, (Catherine); and Deborah (David) Roberts of Chandler.

In February 1957, the family moved to Tempe in a '51 Ford pulling a small U-Haul trailer with all they owned. Wanda cried most of the way across New Mexico because of the barrenness of the land. She not only missed her family back in Iowa but also the green of the Iowa trees and farmlands. but she soon adjusted to the desert and contributed to a good life for her family.

While looking for a house to buy, they asked the realtor about a Bible-believing church. He suggested First Baptist Church of Tempe on Eighth Street (University).

Wanda loved the Lord, accepting Jesus as her Savior at a young age. She loved teaching children's Sunday School classes and spent a year or two working with Pioneer Girls. She also sang in the choir for many years.

Wanda went to work for Dr. Roy Rice at ASU soon after arriving in Tempe. She worked in the Summer Sessions and Extension Office as an Administrative Assistant for 26 years. While working there, she participated in lunch hour bowling tournaments where she won many trophies.

in 1972 Earl and Wanda bought acreage property in Gilbert, Arizona. In 1976 they started construction on a new house and moved in February 1977. The first time they ran irrigation on the property, it came in the middle of the night during a rainstorm. Quite an introduction back to semi-rural living.

Wanda and Earl traveled overseas a few times. The first time was when they accompanied her sister, Sharon and her husband Bob, to Hawaii for Bob and Sharon's 25th wedding anniversary. Some years later they joined Bob and Sharon in a tour group to Norway, Denmark and Sweden. That was so much fun they then joined the same group to travel to Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland where they saw a parade for the birthday of the King of Liechtenstein. They traveled to England and Wales in 1986. And, finally, to Israel in 1988. They saw many wonderful sights on their trips but nothing could compare to visiting the Holy Land.

Wanda and Earl enjoyed volunteering for several years at the Child Evangelism Center in Warrenton, Missouri. Then they could drive up to visit relatives in Iowa before heading home.

Wanda is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son, sister Darlene and brother Paul. She is survived by her daughter, Deborah (David) Roberts; daughter-in-law Catherine (Charles)Thompson; sisters Marlys Bixby and Sharon McGraw and a host of loving nephews, nieces, and friends.