Wilma Geniece Small (88) of Shelbyville

Wilma Geniece Small, 88, of Shelbyville, IL, passed away at 11:42 p.m. Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital, Shelbyville, IL surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Howe & Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL with Gary Crowder officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be given to the Shelbyville Education Foundation for a scholarship in Wilma’s name.

Wilma was born on January 12, 1936, in Loudon Township, Fayette County, IL, the daughter of Gordon Corwin and Vera Elizabeth (Waddelow) Bieber. She graduated from Shelbyville High School in the Class of 1953. She had planned to attend a business college after graduation, but the high school principal offered her a full tuition scholarship to Eastern Illinois University to become an educator. While there, she worked at the registrar’s office to pay for room and board. She was asked to do much of the documentation since she had such beautiful penmanship. After earning her teaching degree, she taught fourth grade at William Harris School and then third grade at Enterprise School in Decatur, IL. She married Harold T. Small on August 19, 1961, and they moved from Decatur to Shelbyville, IL. She taught third grade all her years in Shelbyville except for one year of second grade. In all, she taught for 37 years before her retirement. Her favorite moments in school were teaching her students to read, reading to them, and teaching cursive writing. She will always be remembered as having beautiful cursive handwriting. Wilma was an avid reader and enjoyed telling you about all the reading journeys she experienced. She spent many hours reading book after book until her eyesight waned. At that point, she resorted to audio books. However, she most enjoyed spending time with her family. She spent hours supporting her daughters’ extracurricular events and later on, the events of her grandchildren. She stayed up-to-date on their accomplishments and was extremely proud of them. Wilma also enjoyed bowling, word puzzles, Illini basketball, and her vacations. Whether it was a family vacation or vacation that she and Harold took to Branson or another timeshare destination, it was a trip worth remembering.

Wilma leaves behind her two daughters, Leslie Auten (Brad) of Monticello, IL and Stephanie Williams (John Paul) of Mt. Zion, IL; three grandchildren, Adam Auten of San Jose, CA, Anna Auten of La Crosse, WI and Chloe Williams of Mt. Zion, IL; sister, Carolyn Vieback of Pana, IL; sister-in-law, Mary Bieber of Lakewood, IL; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harold on January 27, 2023; brothers, Oral Gordon Bieber in infancy and Glen R. “Dick” Bieber; sister, Lois Williams (Bob); and sister-in-law, Edith Joanne McGahey (Jack).

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