Wilma M. James

Wilma Kriley James was born July 21, 1919 in Stockton, Kansas to Mary McCalpine Kriley and William Kriley. She passed away peacefully to eternal rest on June 11, 2017.

Brothers and sisters were John, Cecil, Sarah, Joseph, and Eugene. Three sisters passed away as infants. A sister Agnus and brother Alexander passed away in early childhood from illness.
Her brothers gave her the nickname of “Bill” and throughout her lifetime rarely called her anything else.

She was baptized in the Catholic Church in 1919 at Stockton, Kansas. She was active in St. Michael’s church in Fairbury throughout her life, until advanced age prevented her from attending mass, but she still proudly informed her family that she went to mass everyday on TV.

She lived for a time in Arkansas and eventually settled in Endicott, NE, where she met her future husband, Walter James. They were married on Nov. 26, 1941 and made their home on a farm south of Steele City, NE where she raised their eight children. Even though their family was large, there always seemed to be room for more as she helped raise her brothers’ children. One nephew, Ron Kriley, came to live with them for extended periods of time.

In addition to all the love and enjoyment she had for her children and grandchildren, she also had a great love of music and dancing. When she was growing up, she and her brothers had a band and played at barn dances and other venues. She played the guitar, 4 string banjo, piano and organ. She passed this love of music on to her children, teaching several to play the guitar and sing.

Whenever her children and grandchildren were together, there was always music, laughter and many fond stories.

Son Tony told the story of her dislike for the barn swallows that always made nests in her car port and all the times he would drive by and see her outside with her broom batting at them and knocking their nests down, only to go out days later to find them back again.
Or the time she called him and said “Tony come over. I shot at a squirrel with the bee bee gun because he wouldn’t get off her porch and now it was sitting there staring at her and wouldn’t let her out of her house.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers and sisters, husband Walter, daughter Marcia and many other extended family members and friends.

She is survived by sons, Jim James and special friend Elaine, Lonnie and wife LeeAnn, Robert and wife Bev, Tony and special friend, Linda, daughters Janice Duitsman and husband Art, Judy Diller and husband Jim, Diane Stone and husband Gary, grandchildren Ronda Siebe and husband Tony, Deb Poley and husband John, Jason James and wife Toni, Justin James and wife Tobin, Jill James, Jenny James, Jared James, Mike Diller and wife Jami, Carrie Stephens and husband Donny, Chelsey Lagerberg and husband Cody, Shelby James, Seth James, Drew Stone, Colton Stone and Amelia Stone, 15 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, and many extended family members. We let her go today with sadness, but also with great love and gratitude for the life lessons she taught us.

Services will be Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Fairbury with Father John Birkel officiating. Rosary will be Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home in Fairbury with family visitation following the Rosary. Memorials will go to the Family’s Choice and burial will be in the Fairbury Cemetery. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.