Wanda May Kaser
Wanda May Kaser died Nov. 30, 2012. Wanda was born an only child May 30, 1933, to William and Virginia Miethke. She grew up in Evans Valley and went to school in Silverton. Wanda was a drum majorette for the high school band.
On June 30, 1951, she married her high school sweetheart, Sam Kaser. He was stationed at Tongue Point Naval Air Station in Astoria.
After serving in the Navy, the family moved to Corvallis in 1953. Sam went to college, while Wanda stayed home to raise four children. After college, the family moved to Coos Bay. Wanda worked as a nurse's aid. While visiting her farther in Orick, Calif., Wanda sang with Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline.
The fall of 1960, the family moved to Burns. Wanda worked as a dispatcher for the Burns Police Department.
While in Burns, Wanda received her student pilot's license and soloed in their 1949 Aronca Champ. She was an active member of the Harney County Women's Horse Club.
In 1975, after all the children were off to college or the military, Sam and Wanda moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Both Wanda and Sam worked for the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO). During the next eight years, they visited Switzerland, Germany, England, Africa, Thailand, India, Spain, Holland, the Philippines and Alaska.
In 1983, Wanda and Sam moved to Winnemucca, Nev., for a short time then made their home in Soldotna, AK.
In 1990, Wanda purchased a franchise to market JC Penney's domestic goods over-runs. She operated "JD's Factory Outlet" in Burns for two years. Wanda loved people and enjoyed working as a waitress and a bartender.
In 2004, they purchased a home in Hines to be closer to the family.
Wanda loved to travel. For the past 20 years, she and Sam traveled back and forth to their homes in Soldotna, AK; Granite and Hines. Wanda enjoyed going to rodeos, playing bingo, oil painting, digging clams and fishing. Wanda was an avid crafter. She learned many different methods of crafting and blessed her family and friends with her handiwork. She has a large collection of stuffed animals; her favorite were gorillas.
Wanda was a life member to many charitable organizations such as: American Legion Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, AmVets, Eagles, Moose International, Eastern Star, Ladies of the Shrine and Lady Elks.
Wanda is survived by her husband of 61 years, Sam Kaser; son and daughter-in-law, Kurt and Susan Kaser of Redmond; son and daughter-in-law, Dusty and Connie Kaser of Bend; daughter and son-in-law, Melodi and Louie Molt of Burns; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by her son, Danny Kaser.
A celebration of life will be at the Moose Lodge in Redmond at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012.