Wilma Caswell

Wilma Mae Caswell, 97, peacefully departed this life on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Aldersgate Retirement Community in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Wilma was born on August 8, 1923 in what was then the small town of Oakland, Maryland.  Her parents, Charles Stewart and Minnie (Teets) Rodeheaver had four children, all of whom have preceded her in death.

Wilma was married to her beloved husband John A. Caswell for 46 years and together they had two daughters, Sylvia (Caswell) Gagliardi of Kissimmee, Florida and Rhonda Caswell Baker of Charlotte, North Carolina.

John and Wilma moved to Seattle, Washington in the early years of their marriage where both daughters were born. Soon thereafter, the couple relocated to Owego, New York and Wilma supported John as he rose through the executive ranks at IBM (International Business Machines) and together they raised their young family. When the girls were in high school, Wilma went to night school to brush up on her secretarial skills and much to her delight, IBM hired her on as a second shift Executive Secretary where she would often meet her husband John in the cafeteria for dinner.  After John’s passing, Wilma retired and once again turned to education to learn more about what she loved – gardening!  She studied hard, took many classes and exams, filled many hours of required field observation and served on the Tioga County Cooperative Extension Help Desk, ultimately earning her Master Gardener certification of which she was rightfully very proud.

Many stories have been told over the years of the brutal winters in the little farmhouse that John and Wilma purchased & remodeled in Owego, and Wilma holding down the fort with two little girls while John traveled extensively for work.  Each year Wilma grew luscious and plentiful varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in a large garden. Wilma often shared her garden produce with friends and neighbors as well as several charitable outreach organizations responsible for feeding the local poor and hungry.  She also had a gift for flower arranging and for many years used her garden to supply creative and artistic arrangements for the weekly altar flowers at the First Presbyterian Union Church of Owego NY.  Wilma was a lifelong member of the church and served in many ministries including teaching children’s Sunday School and singing soprano in the choir.

Wilma enjoyed spending winters in Florida with her daughter Sylvia and eventually relocated to North Carolina to be near her daughter Rhonda.  Over the past seven years, the Aldersgate Retirement community has welcomed, loved, entertained, and cared for Wilma and she eventually came to know it as “home”.  The nurses, doctors, care team, and many other social, physical, and administrative personnel expertly catered to her every need. Wilma loved to sing hymns, especially The Old Rugged Cross, with her friends there and frequently enjoyed delicious chef-prepared meals in the dining room.  She is remembered for her frequent laughter, quick smile, quilt making skills, and for being the champion basket maker of all time, topping out at over 108 baskets during her time in her treasured basket-making class.

Wilma is survived by her daughters Rhonda (Charlotte, NC); and Sylvia (Kissimmee,FL) and her husband Gregg; son-in-law, Stuart Baker (Midland, NC) ; grandchildren John (Charlotte, NC) and his wife Jeri; Katie (Charlotte, NC); great grandchildren Jackson, Harper, and Ellison.

There will be a small graveside service at the Tioga Cemetery in Owego, NY, at a future date, where Wilma will be laid to rest next to her much-loved husband John.

Donations, in memory of Wilma Mae Caswell, may be made directly to the Aldersgate Retirement Community at https://aldersgateuniversity.com/HeroFund/ Hero Fund.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg is serving the Caswell family.