Wilma I. Rettig

Wilma Iolean Rettig was born on August 28, 1927, the eighth child born to William and Hazel Iolean Hampshire Perry in Cygnet, OH. She made her journey to God in the early morning of November 20, 2020 at Vancrest Health where she had lived in Assisted Living since October 2019.

When she was 16, she moved to Flatrock, MI where she lived with her sister Lura where she worked in a grocery store while finishing high school. After graduation, she worked for the phone company in Ypsilanti, MI and eventually moved to Holgate, OH to help her sister Donna Jean who had 3 young children. She later helped in the home of Harvey and Edna Rettig where she met Harvey’s brother Dallas. Wilma and Dallas were married in the parsonage of St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed Church, Holgate, on October 19, 1947. They “set up housekeeping” (Wilma’s words) in Holgate, moving to the farm in 1957. Wilma enjoyed providing for her family and did quite a bit of canning and sewing. She did ceramics for a number of years and her children and grandchildren have special keepsakes with Wilma’s initials on the bottom.  Once the children were in school, Wilma went to work as a cashier in the cafeteria in the Napoleon schools. Many students were blessed with her quick sense of humor and caring heart. Wilma was active in the Women’s Guild at St. John’s United Church of Christ, serving as treasurer for a number of years. Dallas and Wilma loved playing cards and Wilma’s love for playing games like Aggravation, Rummicube and Skip-Bo with the kids and grandkids was legendary. After retirement, Dallas and Wilma enjoyed traveling with special friends Gene and Carolyn Hoffman - but they were always ready to get back home. Wilma was a 65-year member of Deshler Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.

Dallas and Wilma were proud of their four children: Robert (Betty), Carol (Barry) Finzer, James (Christine) and Douglas (Virginia). Wilma especially enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren: Christa Jones, Cheryl (Brian) Koenig, Kelly Finzer, Michelle Rettig, Christopher (Felicia) Rettig, Phillip (Jen) Rettig and David Rettig. She was just as excited to spend time with her great-grand children: Rachel (Ben) Koster, Alex Jones, Nicholas Koenig, Sarah Koenig, Abigail Goller, Mikayla Goller (Michael Gerken), Ethan Rettig, Eric Rettig and Bella Rettig. Because of visitation restrictions, Wilma missed out on the exciting news that Christopher and Felicia are expecting her great-grandchild in April and that Mikayla and Michael expect to welcome her first great-great grandchild, also in April.

In addition to her parents, Wilma was preceded in death by her siblings: Leonard (Hazel), Adelia (Leland) Smith, Helen (Lavon) Grau, Lauren (Betty), Lura (Clarence) Brown, Velma (Kenneth) Gray, Donna Jean (Chuck) Gustwiller, Argyle (Carl) Gressler, Darrell (Anna), Joyce (Paul) Drain and Eva Mae (Leroy) Drake as well as an infant grandson. Eric Adam Finzer.

Wilma will be remembered in the hearts and minds of her family and those whose lives she touched.

Memorials may be directed to St. John’s United Church of Christ, Holgate.