Willa Jean Wohlfeill

SUN CITY - Willa Jean Wohlfeill, daughter of William and Ruby Louise (Wahl) Baker was born Nov. 6, 1926, east of Fairview Oklahoma in the Isabella community. She departed this life on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the Boswell Hospital in Sun City, after a short illness. Jean attended Isabella Grade School through the 8th grade and then attended Fairview High School, graduating in 1944. She was instrumental in having Fairview High School start a bus route to pick up students in Isabella and the surrounding communities and farms. Jean started working at an early age. She worked for Smith Drug during school and in the summers cooked for harvest crews in the Homestead area. Her senior year she started working at the Fairview Savings & Loan and was there during the planning of the "New Addition" on State Road in Fairview. Jean was united in marriage to Thomas John (TJ) Carey on July 3, 1948 in Fairview. TJ was called back into service when the Korean war broke out. Jean moved to join TJ who was stationed at Fort Devens, Mass. They moved to Saginaw, Mich., after TJ's discharge. Jean spent 20 plus years in the savings and loan industry becoming the first female to be given the title of Vice President in the state of Michigan. She worked on numerous charitable committees in Saginaw. Her husband TJ passed away Feb. 26, 1962, of a heart attack. Jean married Charles Marshall (Chuck) Wohlfeill on March 16, 1963, in Saginaw, Mich. Tired of the long winters, Jean and Chuck moved to Oklahoma City, Okla., in 1975 where Jean was employed with Continental S&L. They then moved to Watonga, Okla., to manage the Golf course at Roman Nose State Park. Jean was Chuck's assistant setting up golf tournaments and handling the accounting. Jean and Chuck moved to Mesa, Ariz., upon retirement and later settled in Sun City, where Jean and Chuck played golf for fun. Jean started her love of dancing early when she was a child. She followed that love in Arizona, joining tap and jazz dancing classes in Sun City. She was a member of the Sun City Steppers, a performing group of the Tip Top Dancers. Jean coordinated numerous trips for seniors to stage shows, casinos, movies, and Christmas light tours. Chuck passed away Aug. 24, 1997. Jean enjoyed researching the Baker genealogy and traveling with her brother and sisters. She loved to hear a good joke and tell jokes, watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies and Bing Crosby's White Christmas. Listen to music of the 30's and 40's---Big Bands era and dance. When you met Jean you noticed her smile and mischievous twinkle in those big beautiful brown eyes. Jean's greatest gift was her love of family never failing to say "I love you" when signing off the weekly conference call with her brother, sister, sister and brother in law. We could not have had a better sister and confident. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; sister, Pearl, brothers-in-law, Louis (Bud) Dvorak, and Robert Ferguson. She is survived by her brother, Bill M. Baker and wife Jean of Placentia, Calif.; sister, Shari Fergusan of Oklahoma City, Okla.; step,daughter Kay Wohlfeill of Alma, Mich.; nieces, Diane Jones, Donna Shuck and husband Herb, and Denise Laird, husband Barney, all of Fairview, Okla., Delores Bench and husband Barry of Chester, Okla., Carrie Campbell and husband Phil of Oxnard, Calif.; nephews, Bradley Baker of Las Vegas, Nev., Jeffrey Baker and wife Robbie of Enid, Okla., David Baker of Long Beach, Calif. Also 11 great-nieces and nephews and 11 great-great-nieces and nephews.