Vilma “Wilma'' Maria Blackwell, 89, entered into Heaven’s gates on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. Born to the late Giovanni and Maria Codognotto in Pravisdomini, Italy, on January 28, 1931, Wilma was the oldest of three children. She grew up during the Great Depression and left school at a young age to work on her family’s farm. It was in 1949 when Wilma immigrated to England. She was required by law to work as a domestic for four years and later became a professional dressmaker. While in England, Wilma met the love of her life, SMSgt. Burdette “Blackie'' Arnold Blackwell of the United States Air Force; they married in 1973 and moved to Germany.
Wilma was a loving and sweet woman who spent most of her life serving others and volunteering at various places including the Wiesbaden Hospital in Germany. Later, she and Blackie moved to the United States where Wilma volunteered locally at the Phoenix Center in Warner Robins and Heart of Georgia Hospice in Warner Robins.
Wilma also served as an active member of several organizations in her community to include the Warner Robins Newcomers Club, Couples Night Out, Potluck Group, Ikebana Japanese Flower Arranging Club, and the First Methodist Church Soup Kitchen in Warner Robins, where she shared her unique cooking talents for over 29 years. Wilma also loved being a devoted member of Our Lady of the Skies Catholic Parish, where she sang in the choir, was a Eucharistic Minister, and served as part of the women’s group.
Her memory will forever be treasured by her loving husband of 47 years, CMSgt. Burdette “Blackie” Blackwell, USAF (Ret.)
A memorial mass celebrating Wilma’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2020, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be given in memory of Vilma “Wilma” Maria Blackwell to Sacred Heart Catholic Church Building Fund, 300 S. Davis Drive, Warner Robins, Georgia.
McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
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