Wanda Lou Bartley Ply was born September 24, 1925 and went to her heavenly home on Thursday, July 11, 2019.
Memorial Services will be held 11:00 AM Thursday, July 18, 2019 at The First United Methodist Church, 590 N.E. McAlister Road, Burleson, Texas. Rev. Eddie Smart will officiate. Musicians will be Woody Martin and Jeff Hensley.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, July 17, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at The Lucas and Blessing Funeral Home, 518 S.W. Johnson Ave., Burleson, Texas.
Graveside Services will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday at Burleson Memorial Cemetery, 500 Memorial Plaza, Burleson, Texas. The grandsons will be pallbearers; Ryan Swindle, Brendan Swindle, Mason Miller, Travis Miller, Hunter Whirley, and Preston Whirley.
She was the seventh of eight children born to Eugene and Mary Elizabeth Bartley in Dalhart, Tx.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Roy Floyd Ply. The two met in San Antonio when she was attending nursing school. She fell in love with the Navy man who danced a mean jitterbug.
After they married on December 23, 1947, they set up house in Corpus Christi. They were joined by children Gary, Glenda, and Molly before their move to Burleson in 1959. Their third daughter Amy would arrive to the family as Wanda and Roy were figuring out how to raise three teenagers. Wanda will be remembered fondly by her four children, Gary Ply, Glenda Whirley and husband Mel, Molly Swindle and her husband Ken, Amy Miller and her husband Alan; eight grandchildren, Brandi Guccion and her husband John, Ryan Swindle and his wife Amber, Brendan Swindle and his wife Courtney, Hunter Whirley and his wife Liz, Preston Whirley, Caitlin Martin and her husband Alec, Travis Miller, Mason Miller; ten great-grandchildren, Ethan and Alli Swindle, Caedmon, Reese, and Pearl Swindle, Dean and Landry Martin, Jason, Eli, and Levi Whirley.
Wanda was born into tribulation-the Dust Bowl of the Texas Panhandle. She thrived during the Great Depression, becoming a nurse in efforts to support service members returning from World War II. She served for years as a nurse, helping those in their most dire moments with her expertise, wit, and wisdom. She was also a dedicated mother ready to chase her kids down in the kitchen to give them their vaccinations. Her children still fondly recall these memories, hoping their mother would not bring home a bunch of shots.
Wanda was a dedicated Christian and sang in the choir for the First United Methodist Church for years. Her hobbies included spending time with family, playing board games with friends, crocheting afghans, world travel, and telling all men they should be clean-shaven.
Friends who wish may make donations to First United Methodist Church Music Ministry in memory of Wanda.
You will be missed, Wanda