Wanda Kulenguski

Wanda Payne Kulenguski, 83, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, March 21, 2014, at her home, under Crown Hospice care after a long battle with lung cancer.

Wanda was born in Arkansas and lived in Doniphan, Mo., spending most of her life there. Later, she lived in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the Washington, D.C., area, and Cape Girardeau the last six years of her life.

Wanda was a homemaker for many years, raising two daughters. While living in the D.C. area 25 years, she worked for the Richard A. Carson and Associates Consulting Co. She was company security officer and held a top security clearance. She was also the assistant to the company's president.

Wanda loved to play bridge and read. Her real passion, however, was for traveling, alone and with her late husband, Joe. They traveled extensively to all states but the two Dakotas, and to 52 foreign countries and several islands. She was fortunate to have learned about the different cultures in our world, and traveled to all continents except Antarctica.

After moving to Cape Girardeau, she became a member of LaCroix United Methodist Church and the ladies international Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO), where women celebrate the advancement of women and educate them through scholarships, grants, awards and loans. She was also a member of a ladies' prayer and Bible study group at LaCroix Church and two bridge groups.

Loving survivors include her daughters, Deborah Payne Paist of Gaithersburg, Md., and Dianne Payne Johnson of Cape Girardeau; three grandsons, Caleb Callahan of Cape Girardeau, Miles Callahan of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Lucian Johnson of Kennesaw, Ga.; a brother, L. Wayne (Helen) Bell of Annadale, Va.; two nephews, Douglas (Ling) Bell of Tanzania, Africa, John (Sarah) Bell of Cabin John, Md.; six stepchildren, Joe W. (Kathy) Kulenguski of Laytonsville, Md., Bob (Tonya) Kulenguski of Suffolk, Va., Jim (Brenda) Kuhlen of Cayce, S.C., Carol Noonan of Benbrook, Texas, Mike Kulenguski of Madison, Va., Bill (Mary Ann) Kulenguski of Merritt Island, Fla.; and 15 stepgrandchildren.

She was preceded in death by husbands, B.J. Payne, former co-owner of the B.J. Payne Insurance and Real Estate offices in Doniphan, and Air Force Lt. Col. (retired) Joseph A. Kulenguski, who was a senior adviser for the GSA government office in Washington, D.C.

Friends may call from 10:30 a.m. to service time Wednesday at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

The memorial service will be at noon Wednesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Ron Watts officiating.

Wanda requests, please, no floral arrangements. Instead, memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society or LaCroix United Methodist Church Children's Fund.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.