Doris E. Wildenheim

Doris P. Wildenheim

Doris Elizabeth Wildenheim was born June 17, 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic and World War I. She passed, August 3, 2022, at the age of 104.

The daughter of Bert and Elizabeth Palmer was born in Wellington, Ohio. Doris graduated from Wellington High School in 1936 and from Bowling Green State University in 1938 with a teaching diploma. She continued her education during summers at BGSU and University of Colorado.

Her career began in 1938, teaching fifth and sixth grades at the Grafton Township School. She then taught two years of sixth grade in Columbia Station. On June 22, 1941, Doris Palmer and Walter (Wally) Wildenheim of Grafton, were married in Wellington’s Methodist Church. In February 1942, Wally was drafted into WWII. After completing the 1942 school year, Doris returned home to live with her mother and teach sixth grade at Wellington Schools.

In September 1944, Doris returned to Columbia to teach sixth grade and also serve as the Columbia Township chairman of the Army War Time Committee. Wally received his discharge in October 1945 and Doris retired from teaching. They bought the food department of the Grafton Volunteer Food Store on January 1, 1946. Having outgrown the downtown building, Grafton Sparkle Market opened in December 1952 at its current location. The Wildenheims became sole owners of Sparkle Market in 1962 and retired in 1985.

Wally joined the Grafton Kiwanis Club in 1946 and, Doris, as did all the wives, helped with their many civic projects. Kiwanis International presented Doris a Distinguished Service Award on March 19, 1961. In 1954, Doris joined the new Grafton-Midview Women’s Club and would serve as a president, a district chairman and as a chairman on the Ohio Women’s Club Board. She also volunteered on the 1991 Grafton Public Library Renovation Committee.

In 1950, the couple moved into their new home on Willow Street in Grafton. On May 3, 1956, David Palmer Wildenheim was born.

The couple enjoyed traveling. They purchased a Holiday Rambler travel trailer in 1968 and joined the Holiday Ramblers Recreational Vehicle Club. Doris became active on various committees throughout the country. For twelve years, as chairman of the national Teen Queen Contest and Pageant she earned the name of “Mother Hen” as she “mothered” the girls. In 1978, she was the first woman elected to the HRRVC Board of Directors. For four years she served as Director of Region 2, followed by two years as secretary, then one year as vice president and was installed as international president in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada.

In 1982, after moving to Florida, they were active in the U.S. Miniature Carousel Carvers and traveled throughout the states displaying Wally’s horse carvings and Doris’s counted cross-stitch carousel horses.

They returned to Ohio permanently in 2003. As Kiwanis members, the Wildenheims served on the committee for the sale of Commemorative Bricks for Water Tower Walk-way. In 2013, Doris served as chairmen of the combined Kiwanis and History Association “Add More Bricks” Project.

In February 2004, Doris joined the Grafton Village History Association, a group tasked with organizing the history of Grafton. In 2006, using the information collected, Doris was asked to write a book. The book, 190 Years, was published in November 2008. In January 2012, the Grafton Midview Public Library dedicated the “Doris Wildenheim Local History Room.” Doris received Grafton’s first Right Track Award as Outstanding Citizen in October 2008. Doris, on June 17, 2018, retired as GHVA president, having served 14 years.

For sixteen years Doris wrote Grafton history articles for the Rural Urban Record and often promoted fund raising projects throughout the Village. She served as co-chairman of Grafton’s Bicentennial in 2017.

After Wally’s death in 2010, Doris remained busy by working in the library history room, setting up history displays in the Town Hall, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, counted cross stitch, and reading.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-nine years, Wally, father Bert Palmer, and mother Elizabeth. Survivors include son, David (Leann), granddaughter Sarah, grandsons Scott (Anna) and Eric (Karisa), great granddaughters Andi and Corinne.

Visitation will be at Duke Funeral Home, 1021 Main Street, Grafton, on Wednesday, August 10th, from 5:00 to 8:00.

A private service and burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park, Avon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Grafton Midview Public Library Endowment Fund or the Grafton Methodist Church.

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