Wilma Stokes

Wilma A. Stokes, 92, longtime Cape Girardeau resident, died Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Ill.

She was born Oct. 7, 1915, in Piggott, Ark., daughter of Elmer Roscoe and Mertie Frances Moore Ranney. She and Leonard Grant Stokes were married Dec. 19, 1936 at the Maple Avenue Methodist Church Parsonage in Cape Girardeau. He died May 19, 1981.

Mrs. Stokes' family moved to Cape Girardeau when she was 5. She moved with her husband to Louisville, Ky. for about two years during World War II, returning to Cape Girardeau until 1983. After a time away, she again lived in Cape Girardeau from 1994 until 2005.

She worked for Superior Electric in the repair department and in production. Mrs. Stokes was a member of Clinton United Methodist Church in Clinton, Mo., and had formerly been a member of Maple Avenue United Methodist Church as well as Centenary United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Stokes was a former volunteer at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Survivors include a daughter, Julia Wise, and grandson, Christopher Wise, and his wife, Jessica, all of Springfield.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Don Ranney and Larkin Francis Ranney, and a sister, Trina Maxine McCart.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at the funeral home, with the Revs. Scott Moon, Ann Mowery and Jim Sanderson officiating.

Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

Memorials may be made to UMCOR or the American Heart Association.