Wilma Roaden

Winnie Wilma Duncan Roaden, age 94, passed away August 6, 2021.  She was born in Hickman County on Swan Creek, September 18, 1926 to the late Leonard Lee and Lillie Ann Peery Duncan.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, George “G.W.” Roaden; brothers, Hubert Brown Duncan and Samuel C. Duncan; sister, Helen Springer Duncan Lankford.

She is survived by her nieces, Carolyn (Danny) Spears, and Pattie Davis; nephew, Ben Lankford; great-nephews Eric (Becky) Spears and Brent (Rachel) Spears; great-great-nephew and nieces Grant, Madison, Lilli, and Abbi Spears.

Wilma graduated from Hampshire High School in Maury County in 1944. After she finished high school she taught 7th and 8th grade in Lewis County at Napier for 1 year.  She moved to Nashville around 1946 to work at Dr. Pennington’s office.  She

lived at Central Church of Christ Girls Home.  She was baptized on February 16, 1947 while living there and attended church.  Later she roomed with a friend in East Nashville.  Dr. Pennington retired and Dr. Hanes took care of his patients.  She continued to work there until she started to work for Vanderbilt University in 1962 and retired in 1988 from the Finance and Accounting Dept.

While living and working in Nashville she and some girlfriends went on vacation to Florida, that is when she was introduced to G.W. Roaden.  G.W. and his army buddies were on leave.  G.W. and Wilma dated for a couple of years and later married Oct. 26, 1951.  G.W. and Wilma were married for almost 49 years.  They weren’t blessed with children of their own, but loved their nieces and nephews and their children.  Wilma always had an exciting story to tell at Christmas about standing in line to get one of the children a much wanted toy.  Wilma loved history and after G.W. passed away, she traveled the United States, Europe, Switzerland, Italy, Alaska, England, Australia and more.  We would laugh and say if a plane or bus was leaving she would be on it.  Wilma has had a wonderful life.

She was a very independent woman.  She was actively living alone and going out to eat until June 2018.  After a fall she decided it was time to move to assisted living.  She ended up at The Bridge in Columbia where she had a beautiful apartment and had made many friends.  All her friends and family loved having her close so they could stop in to see her.  The last few months of her life she had a special friend and sitter (Edna Latham) with whom she grew very fond of and so did the family.

A graveside service will be on Sunday August 8, 2021 at 3pm at Hillcrest Cemetery in White House, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband G.W.