Wilma Trautman

Wilma Jean Trautman passed away during the morning of Saturday, April 28, 2018 at the age of 86 at Providence St. Peters Hospital in Olympia with her children at her side. She was born at home on November 6, 1931 to Buel and Linnie Childers in the upper Lincoln Creek Valley near Centralia where she grew up. After her parent’s divorce when she was in high school, Wilma moved to Montesano with her mother and step-father, Ralph Loomis. They lived at the Schaefer Brother’s roundhouse outside of Brady.

She married Clifford Emerson Trautman on November 26, 1947, and they settled in Montesano where they raised their six children.

From a young age, Wilma loved to cook, so it was natural the she and Cliff would operate the Park Café in Montesano in the early 1960s. In 1965, she and Cliff purchased Breck’s Restaurant in Cosmopolis and they soon moved there, where she was overjoyed to have a brand new house on the hill. Eventually they sold Breck’s and moved to Olympia where Wilma resided for the rest of her life. She continued in the restaurant business and worked at several facilities in the local area. She retired after working for the State of Washington at the Green Hill School in Centralia.

She and Cliff divorced in 1989. After uneasy years apart, they found common ground and were friends during the last few years of his life. This was a testament to her character. Cliff passed away in 2000. After Wilma moved to the retirement community at Colonial Estates, she made many new friends in the Red Hats Society. She also enjoyed the indoor pool at the Clubhouse and especially the weekly Bunko night.

Wilma was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Wesley (Sunny) and Stan Childers and her nephew Mike Kirkham. She is survived by her six children: Pam Trautman, Sharon Marbut, Kathy Thurman, Scott Trautman and his partner Cindy Keen, Fred Trautman, and Chris (Ken) Ringering. Wilma has 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Gloria Kirkham, and brother, Ron (Debbie) Loomis, and an immense and boisterous extended family of nieces and nephews. Her family was her life, and her loyalty to them was extraordinary.

Wilma will be remembered as a strong, extremely hardworking woman, even during times of adversity. She was a loyal and loving Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and friend whose legacy and impact will always be remembered. The family would like to thank the 3rd floor nurses and staff at Providence St. Peter Hospital. Their exemplary care and guidance during the last days were a great comfort to all of us.