Wilma Shepard Caraway, religious author
Wilma Shepard Caraway passed away peacefully at home Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, with her loving family by her side. She was born in Marshall, Texas, Aug. 11, 1934.
Wilma married Elton T. Caraway in the Tabernacle Baptist parsonage Dec. 19, 1953. She was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Seaford. She was an educator and lifetime member of the Texas Parent and Teacher Association. While living in Germany, Wilma served as vice president of Bad Kreuznach American School's PTA. Wilma was a secretary, teacher and amateur photographer. She went back to college late in life. While a student at Delaware Tech, she won the 1983 college seal contest. Later, she earned her bachelor of science degree from Delaware State University.
An avid writer, Wilma was an active member of Delmarva Christian Writers Fellowship, Kingdom Writers Fellowship, and a member of the planning committee for the Vine and Vessels Christian Writers Conference. She compiled quotes, wrote articles, poems and children's stories. She created a September 11th Memory Chain and Story Kit that has been used annually in classrooms and by homeschoolers around the nation.
Her book, “101 Surprises! Sayings with Scriptures You Didn't See Coming,” won the 2014 Christian Small Publishers Association's Gift Book of the Year. Her second book, “Kids' Talk: Priceless!” was released in January.
Wilma was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Elton; her dad, Arvel Shepard; her mother and stepdad, Aurie and James Worden; two sisters, Bertha Brown, and Mary Morgan; and a brother, Jerry Shepard.
She is survived by her daughter, Jenna; her son Gerald and wife Roseann, and their children Amber and Travis of Georgetown. Other survivors include her brother, Arvel Shepard and his wife Louise of Mt. Pleasant, Texas; her sister, Rilla Woodruff of Marshall; her brother-in-law Ruel and his wife Carol of Hot Springs Village, Ark.; her uncle John Holloway of Lake Wales, Fla.; her uncle Jesse Green of Arnold, Mo.; and a special cousin, Margie Hendry of Marshall. Wilma also has a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.
A funeral service in celebration of Wilma's life will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 4, at Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market St., Georgetown, where friends may call from 9 to 10 a.m. for viewing and visitation. A reception will follow at Wesley United Methodist Church, 102 N. Laurel St., Georgetown. Interment will be Monday, March 6, at 1 p.m., at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Blood Bank of Delmarva, 100 Hygeia Drive, Newark, DE 19713; Season's Hospice Palliative Care, 556 S. DuPont Blvd., Suite 101, Milford, DE 19963; or a charity of your choice. We would like to take this opportunity to thank these agencies as well as our family and friends for their love and support over the last few years.
