Delphine Marie (Speckman) Wilson

Delphine Wilson, 94, of Bemidji, MN, died Saturday, March 10, 2018 at her home.

Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Trinity Free Lutheran Church, Pony Lake with Pastor Kevin Larson officiating. Family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in Trinity Free Lutheran Cemetery, Pony Lake. Arrangements were entrusted to the Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home, Bemidji.

Delphine was born February 17, 1924 in Bismarck ND to Fred & Emma (Henke) Speckmann. She began her life as part of a farming family in Hannover ND, and after several years, they moved to Fairmont MN where she was confirmed into the Lutheran faith at St. Paul’s church. She attended school in nearby Granada MN until 1941 when the family moved to Puposky MN.

Soon after they settled in Puposky, she met Bill Wilson and the two began dating. Bill enlisted in the Navy in 1943 during WWII, but they continued to stay in touch with each other through letters. During the war, Delphine got a job at Munsingwear in Bemidji MN and moved into town. She roomed with 3 other young women who all remained friends throughout their lives.

When Bill was discharged in 1946, they renewed their relationship and were married at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Puposky MN on October 26, 1947. Their first home together was in Bemidji, where Delphine started working for J.C. Penney Company. In 1958 they welcomed a daughter, Sharon, into the family.

In 1959 her husband took a job with a pipeline company, and due to this Delphine found herself needing to relocate several times, first to Gould City, MI, then to Thief River Falls, MN. In 1960, they became proud parents of a son, Tim. Shortly after Tim arrived, she had to move her family again to Plummer MN and then to Clearbrook MN. She always managed to make each house feel like a home, which probably wasn’t to easy with a toddler & baby to take care of.

In 1971 they moved back to Bemidji MN where Delphine went to work again at J.C. Penney company in the catalog department. She continued to work until retiring from Penney’s in 1989.

After retiring, Delphine and Bill enjoyed traveling in their RV, visiting family, friends and just seeing the country.

Throughout her life, Delphine was an avid gardener. She liked growing all types of plants, and always had a vegetable garden, from which she spent many hours in the fall producing home canned items. But she especially loved flowers and had many flower beds & pots blooming all summer. In the winter, she took pleasure tending to her collection of various indoor plants as well.

One of her greatest joys was caring for her granddaughter during the work week. They would spend the days working in the garden, planting flowers, baking cookies, doing puzzles and playing games and always had a lot of fun together.

Delphine was always a very energetic, optimistic lady, who loved what life had to offer and was usually on the go. A family friend gave her the nickname “the little energizer bunny”. She loved having company and always had the coffee pot on. Visitors never left without being offered a cup, along with a cookie or two.

She was a long time member of the America Legion Auxiliary, the Red Hat Club (formerly Homemakers Club) and Trinity Free Lutheran Church (Pony Lake), all of Bemidji.

Delphine was preceded in death by her parents, and husband Bill in 2014.

She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Tim and Nancy Wilson; daughter Sharon Wilson; granddaughter Sammie Wilson; grandsons Mike Gudim and Joe Gudim; brother Earl Speckmann; brothers-in-law Romaine (Darlene) Wilson; Sam (Letitia) Wilson; Jeff (DeLores) Wilson; sisters-in-law Donna Wilson and Shirley Wilson.

Online guestbook at www.OlsonSchwartzFuneralHome.com

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