- April 26, 2024
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Wanda Joy Moening (nee Hamlett) was born on January 29th, 1933 in Floyd, New Mexico. When she was a small child, the family moved to the small town of Devine, Texas. Wanda graduated from Devine High School. As college was too expensive an endeavor, she and a best friend moved to the big city of San Antonio and found work as a switchboard operator.
Wanda married a USAF fighter pilot and they had two children together: Dan and Karen. She was always the consumate hostess for squadron dinner parties, holidays and other special events.
While stationed in Japan, Wanda discovered a liking and expressive talent for oil painting, which she enjoyed doing off and on until the day of her passing. She enrolled in a class to learn the art and technique of oil painting and was granted a certificate with the license to paint a purple cow. In her own sense of humor, she did indeed paint a purple chicken. Wanda also took classes in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, a talent she used throughout life to decorate centerpieces for holidays and other celebrations.
Wanda also greatly enjoyed gardening and had a fantastic green thumb. Her gardens were the envy of everyone, although neighbors did enjoy the fruits of her labor. She shared extra vegetables and special plant cuttings with many of them.
Other interests included photography, where her massive collection of pictures provided great resource for her painting and sketching.
Wanda had a very strong faith in God and conducted her life with Christian values. She was never profane, never spoke ill of any person, and always saw the best in people; she always put others before herself. She cultivated many life long friendships.
Wanda never forgot a special date for any friend or family member. For every birthday, anniversary or holiday, you were sure to receive a card with a heartfelt, handwritten note to accompany it.
She showed great excitement surrounding holidays, fashioning hand sewn costumes and decorations for each event.
Wanda was strong willed and resolute throughout her life. She contracted cancer, which took her life peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of October 18th, surrounded by her loving family.
Wanda is survived by her two children, Dan Moening and Karen Straley; her grandchildren, Adrienne Moening, Conor Moening, and Brianna Straley; and her sister Georgia Cook, her children Patti McCloy, Gary Cook; her sister Barbara’s children, Brenda Adams, Jimmy Hester, Jay Hester; her sister Georgia’s children, Patti McCloy, Gary Cook; her brother Gerald’s children, Pam Hamlett, Jerry Wayne Hamlett, and Gayland Hamlett; and her brother Gerd’s child, Shonnie Hamlett. Wanda is pre-deceased by her sister Barbara Hester, her brother Gerald Hamlett, her brother Gerd Hamlett and her nephews Mike Cook and Jerry Cook.
