Wilma Tasler

Atkinson — Wilma Tasler, 89, of Atkinson, died Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024.

Visitation was held Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at the United Methodist Church in Atkinson. 

Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at the church in Atkinson. Pastor Bob Wynn officiated. Music was provided by organist Terry Kloppenborg.

Pallbearers were Wilma's granchildren Richard and Dustin Schrunk, Andy and Jeff Vogel, Charles and Josh Tasler, Amanda Welke, Malissa Paus, Jennifer Sieck, Jessica Albertsen, Jami Hulsey, Shalee Rentschler, Shelby Johnson, Hazel Tasler, Olivia Nelson and Jaxson Nelson.

Burial was in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Atkinson.

Memorials may be made to the family for future designation.

Seger Funeral Home in Atkinson was in charge of the arrangements.

Wilma was born Dec. 16, 1934, at home in Opportunity, to Hazel (Goodspeed) and Lyle McKim. She was the sixth of nine children. Wilma grew up in Opportunity and attended school there through the second grade then moved about one mile east of O'Neill for a short time, then into O'Neill where she graduated eighth grade. She then attended O'Neill Public High School where she participated in Pep Club, sung in choir and worked on the Eagle Newsletter. Even after entering the Good Samaritan Center, she could still be heard singing the O'Neill School Fight Song as she walked down the halls.

While in high school, Wilma worked as a car hop at the local drive-in, then as a soda jerk at the drug store soda fountain owned by John Harting. She applied for a job at the telephone company in O'Neill and began working there after graduating.  

Wilma and her girlfriends loved to roller skate whether it be in Atkinson or Neligh. One night a good looking guy caught her eye and she told her girlfriends to go ahead and go back to O'Neill, and that she was going to get him to take her home. She told him her friends had left her, and she needed a ride home to O'Neill. That started a relationship that lasted over 70 years. 

One day Chuck picked her up from the phone company and said “Wilma, I have something to ask you, will you marry me?” She threw her arms around him and said Yes, Yes, Yes, Chuck Tasler, I will marry you.  They were married on Nov. 15, 1953, at the Methodist Church in O'Neill, and left on their honeymoon the next day. Chuck's dad called and said a terrible storm was predicted so they turned around and came home, to take care of cattle. 

Wilma didn't know how to drive so Chuck took her out on the meadow to teach her. She cleaned thousands of chickens through the years but talked about her first time cleaning them saying how awful it was. As a ranch wife she also got in on pulling calves and thought that was awful as well. The couple lived with Chuck's parents until their house was finished. 

In September 1954 Suzanne was born, 1955 Christie, 1956 Charles, 1957 Mike, 1965 Nancy and 1970 Tom. She was a very busy Mom taking care of her kids and husband. When they were first married they didn't have television, a telephone or washing machine. They liked to load the kids in the car and go to Long Pine or O'Neill to the drive-in movies. They also loved to dance and roller skate.  They would often dance around the kitchen after meals.

Wilma would always have something good to eat for the mowing crews, branding crew or people that would happen to just stop in. She always said “The more the merrier.”  The family would get together for every holiday. Her buns, cinnamon rolls, noodles and fluffy white frosting could not be beat. Whenever someone would bring her a snack at the home and asked her how it was, she would always say, “A B C Delicious.”

She was a member of the Methodist Church her entire life serving in numerous officer positions in the women's group and the Harmony Circle, teaching Sunday School, singing in the Women's Choir, making hundreds of salads for funeral dinners and was awarded with many corsages for missions. She was also on a women's bowling league for many years, in the Rancho Keepers Extension Club, Atkinson Utile Dulci Club and a leader in the Holt Creek 4-H club. Wilma was a lifetime member in the FFA and raised cocker spaniel puppies. 

Her holiday traditions were baking extra large heart shaped Valentine's Day cookies for everyone, flying kites on Easter Sunday, making sure everyone had a whole pumpkin pie to take home on Thanksgiving as well as a package of her frozen cinnamon rolls to take home when leaving Grandma's house.

Wilma loved to play games, lots of Huckle Buck or Spoons. You never wanted to sit next to her when playing because you were likely to get your hand slapped with a spoon if you weren't careful. She loved to play bingo, sing, listen to music, go to devotions and whatever else the home had going on. 

She worked cleaning houses, apartments and painting, but her most famous job was the head cook at Shamrock Livestock Market in O'Neill. People would come sit and wait for her liver and onions, potato salad, noodles and roast beef.

She always said “Family is number one in my book.”  When her memory started to get a little forgetful and Dad needed help, they entered Good Samaritan Home in Atkinson. Her humor never wavered. The first day there she looked around the room and asked “Don't you have a room with one bed?” The nurse said, “No Wilma, I'm sorry, we don't.” “Well,” Wilma said “I'm sleeping with him.” When the nurses went in the next morning to get them up, she had pushed the beds together and that is the way they remained almost the whole time they were together in the home.

Charles passed away Aug. 27, 2022 and she missed him terribly. She would say that she talked to him every night. On Nov. 26, Chuck came to take her home. She will be missed but is in a better place. 

Wilma is survived by her five children Suzanne (Richard) Schrunk of Emmet, Chris (John) Vogel of Atkinson, Charles Jr. (Mary) of LaPorte City, Iowa, Nancy (Bob) Weber of and Tom (Ana), all of Atkinson; one daughter-in-law Diane Tasler of Atkinson; 14 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; two brothers Keith McKim of Colorado and Les McKim of Omaha; and one sister-in-law Marilyn McKim of California. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Charles, son Mike, two brothers, four sisters and two sisters-in-law. 

Alzheimer's is called the long goodbye. Rapidly shrinking the brain, physical changes and eventually forgetting all those who you love and those that love you. Rest in Peace now Wilma and soar with the Angels.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. And I wish you enough to satisfy “Hello's” to get through the final “Good-Bye.”  Wilma.