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Gerene Gayle Wilhelm, age 81, passed away peacefully September 21, 2024 due to liver/biliary cancer. She was born on February 15, 1943 to Hugh and Fannie McBurnie in Phoenix, Arizona. She met David Albert Wilhelm at the Lackland A.F.B. Shopette where she worked and he was stationed. They dated for two weeks and after obtaining her mother’s permission (she was only 17) they were married on October 14, 1960. During their almost 64-year marriage, they raised a family, worked, earned Bachelor’s Degrees from Southwest Texas State University and traveled extensively. They took land trips and experienced over 40 cruises. Gere loved to be busy and was part of many groups in San Antonio including the Red Hat Society, American Sewing Guild, Women’s Auxiliary of the Salvation Army and was a member of Mensa (people whose IQ was in the top 2 percent of the population). She volunteered at many schools within Judson I.S.D. helping in the office or flipping pancakes along with David at Breakfast with Santa each year. She leaves behind her beloved husband David Albert Wilhelm, children: Tracy Lee Wilhelm (Judy) and Mary Kay Tyson, grandchildren: Karl Wilhelm (Christy), Rebecca Wilhelm-Belongia, Heather Canales (Nick) and Austin David Tyson, great grandchildren: Hailey, Sarah and Andrew, brother: Richard Stapleton (Chiu Mei), Nephews: Daniel Stapleton and Raymond Stapleton (Laura), Great niece and nephew: Anna and Ethan. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter Megan Michelle McCrary. In lieu of flowers, Gerene asked for donations to The American Cancer Society. She is Gone You can shed tears that she is gone Or you can smile because she has lived You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her Or you can be full of the love that you shared You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday You can remember her and only that she is gone Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on. --David Harkins

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Gerene Gayle Wilhelm

February 15, 1943 - September 21, 2024