Joanna Hersperger Wandling

Joanna Wandling was born on October 19, 1924 in Grove City PA to James and Edith Hersperger. She passed away on December 16, 2024. The family moved around quite a bit when she was young.  They lived in Chicago and eventually settled in Oklahoma.  She graduated from Putnam High school which was the same school that Steve Largent graduated from.  Joanna and Kay were good students and their father moved them up a grade when they started a new school.  She had her BA and was teaching at age 19.

She got a teaching job in Bickleton.  She was told that the high school had 15 students.  She thought they must have meant 150 but the actual number was 13.

She came to Washington on the train.  She didn’t know how to drive yet and she lived with different families including the George Juris family.  Tom Juris was one of her students and they learned the subjects together.

She met a young farmer named Pat Wandling at a community function.  She was his first date and they were married on August 31, 1947.  

She had never been on a farm before. The first year they were married there was a record 2- month harvest.  She did have someone helping her but she was cooking breakfast for a harvest crew of 17 on a wood stove because there was no electricity.  In addition, she had a new baby and she had never even held a baby before.

She returned to teaching in Grandview in 1968 and taught sixth grade until 1982.

She was an amazing cook.  She has baked thousands of chocolate chip cookies. Her dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls were also quite wonderful. She won a cooking contest and the prize was a trip to Hawaii.

She was preceded in death by her husband Pat after 75 years of marriage and by her sister Kay the following month.

She is survived by her children Sue, (Spurge), Jim (Betty), and Dick (Lorie), seven grandchildren, nine great- grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.

Private family burial will be held at the Glade Cemetery. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Smith Funeral Home, Sunnyside, WA.  Those wishing to sign Joanna’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com Smith Funeral Home is in care of arrangements

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