Wilma Jean Atchison age 97 passed away peacefully on February 1, 2022, after a lengthy hospitalization, in Phoenix, Arizona. She was born in 1925 in Selection, Iowa on a farm. She was the sixth and youngest child born to parents William & Elsie Mertz. She grew up in Albia, Iowa and graduated from high school in 1943. While still in high school she took normal training to become a teacher. She went on to study at the business college in Des Moines. She began working at an ammunition factory during Word War II and met the love of her life, Russell Sutherland, Sr., while in Des Moines. They were married in 1946 at the world famous “Little Brown Church in the Vale” in Nashua, Iowa. She had two daughters and a stepson. They moved to Denver, Colorado in 1951 to start a gas station business and for her husband Russ to work at Rocky Flats Chemical plant. She worked part-time and raised her two daughters in Arvada, Colorado. In 1968 the family moved to Tempe, Arizona and were the owners and operators of the “Breezy Palms Motel” on Apache Boulevard for 10 years. Her first husband Russ died in 1971 and in 1983 Wilma married Leo Dail Atchison in Tempe, Arizona. They had 11 wonderful years together when Dail passed in 1994. She then moved to north Phoenix to be near her daughter and grandchildren. She was a Christian from a young age and was a member of Arvada Christian Church, Tempe First Christian and Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona. She worked for many years in the nursery taking care of the babies and working as a volunteer in her churches. Wilma was a hard worker and never wasted time. She was thrifty and re-used and recycled everything she could. Growing up in the Great Depression taught her the value of money and hard work. She was a loyal fried to many and was always there for her family. She was selfless and put others first. She loved writing cards to those she loved and always wrote thank-you notes. She adored flowers and the beauty of nature. She was so happy being with her family and any event her grandchildren were involved in, she was there. She was a great listener and gave away wise advice when needed. Her faith in God and her saviour Jesus sustained her through many losses in her life, including the loss of her mother and father as a little girl and the loss of two husbands. The lessons she learned and handed down will live forever in the memory of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We will hold her close in our hearts and cherish the years we shared with her. We will love her forever.
She is preceded in death by five siblings (Don, Dick, Dan, Faye & Ruth), two husbands (Russ, Sr & Dail), son-in-law (Randy) and grandson (Brandy).
She is survived by her two daughters (Jeanie & Julie), stepson (Russ, Jr. or Boo), son-in-law (Tim), six grandchildren (Brett, Brody, Seth, Jesse, Micah & Hannah) and nine great grandchildren (Morgan, Tawni, Stella, Hayden, Zoey, Cole, Greer, Natalia & Sophia).
Her Celebration of Life service will be Monday, February 14th at 1 PM at Christs Church of the Valley (CCV), 7007 W. Happy Valley Road, Peoria, AZ 85383 in building 400. Visitation and viewing will begin at Noon.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.resthavencarrtenney.com for the Atchison family.
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