Wilma Jean Sitton, age 86, of Clarksville, went to be with the Lord Sunday, November 15, 2015, at Walking Horse Meadows, surrounded by her loving family.
Visitation will be Tuesday, November 17, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and Wednesday, November 18, from 11:00 AM until the hour of service, at Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home.
Funeral service will be held Wednesday, November 18, at 1:00 PM, at the Chapel of Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home, with Rev. Michael Oliver and Rev. P.K. Spratt officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.
Wilma was born to Jess Taft Pauley and Jeanette Jane Pauley, on February 27, 1929, in Ivaton, WV. She was a member of Rock Springs Free Will Baptist Church.
She graduated Valedictorian from Van High School, in Van, WV, in 1946. She taught sixth grade at Wharton Grade School for one year, with no formal training, because of the shortage of teachers during war years. She married the love of her life, William Paul Sitton, in 1947 and lived in West Virginia until they moved to Nashville for Paul’s education. There, she worked at May Hosiery Mill to help support the family while Paul was attending college. They began pastoring churches in 1953, and served six different churches over the next 50 years. She worked for a few years in the office at Acme Boot Company.
Wilma was a loving wife and mother, a wonderful cook, seamstress, gardener, archivist, neighbor, and hostess. All these attributes and abilities served her well, as a pastor’s wife, and she was truly an asset to Paul’s ministry; they were really a great team. She helped in every facet of church life – teaching, cooking for ‘dinner on the grounds’, painting Sunday School rooms, refinishing pews, making curtains, listening, empathizing, and whatever else was needed. She opened her home to friends and parishioners and ‘adopted’ numerous folks who were far away from home themselves.
She was loved deeply by her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and always had time for them. She also cared for her own aging parents for several years, a lesson that made a huge impression on her children when it came their turn to step up to that responsibility.
She will be greatly missed by those who love her. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Rev. William Paul Sitton; daughter, Jane (Gerry) Gilman; son, Ed (Jennifer) Sitton; four grandchildren, Ben (Crystal) Carroll, Amanda (Barry) Markin, Jessica (Jason) Anglea, and Julie (Clark) Young; and four great grandchildren, Carson and Mallory Carroll, and Henry and William Markin.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jess Taft Pauley and Jeanette Jane Pauley; and sister, Janice Bostic.
Pallbearers will be Ben Carroll, Barry Markin, Jason Anglea, Clark Young, Mike Spratt, Tim Spratt, and P.K. Spratt.
The family is grateful to the outstanding care she received at Walking Horse Meadows, and to AseraCare for their gentle and tender care during her last days.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Welch College, 3606 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205.