Wilnita Ruth Bratten of Whittier, California died peacefully January 22, 2016 with her family by her side. She lived a long and fulfilling life passing at the age of 95 years old. Willie had a large family and was often referred to as "Mom" or "Grandma" by both friends and family who loved her dearly. Willie was born in 1920 in Kansas City, Kansas to William and Grace Rollins, she had three brothers, Richard (surviving), Charles, and William Jr.
She was married in 1936 to Howard Bratten, who preceded her in death in 1982. Howard and Willie moved to California from Kansas to pursue greater opportunities where Willie was a Manager at JJ Newberry's in Compton for 15 years before retirement. Everyone who knew Willie remembers her happy and caring personality along with her beautiful smile. Her favorite pastimes were going to club with girlfriends and playing bingo, attending her grandsons' athletic games, getting her hair styled on a weekly basis, and visiting family.
She is survived by three daughters and their husbands: Mary and John McCloskey, Georgia and Norm Wiebe, and Grace and Walter Schiller; 6 grandchildren: Chris (Jaime), Jeff (Meghan), Jennifer (Kurt), Ann Marie, Teresa (Geoff), and Kurt; along with 12 great grandchildren.
Wilnita passed away this January 2016 past. Grace, her daughter went to see her mother before she died. Her mother on her death bed said to her; "I loved you best". They expressed their love for each other. What Grace found out later was her mother changed her Will and named Grace's sister, Mary Ruth McCloskey, as executrix of the estate. In her Will she specifically cut her daughter Grace and Grace’s family out of her Will leaving the bulk of her estate to Mary Ruth and Mary's two boys, Chris and Jeff McCloskey. Clearly Mary Ruth convinced her mother to exclude Grace from her will and give Grace's portion of her estate to Mary's two sons. The why of this is not known as Wilnita never confided in Grace why she did this. To much of a coward I guess. The dates on the Will and Trust, October 1, 2008, coincided with Grace battling MS and breast cancer and we suspicion that Mary made her move at this time and convinced her mom to do this. The why of this is not known; perhaps anger over words spoken or even childhood resentment. Did Mary know how her mother felt about Grace? I guess we will never know. I wonder how Grace's dad, Howard, would have felt about this. This perhaps the meanest thing I have ever seen happen from a mother to a daughter. Wilnita's oldest daughter, Georgia, always said of her own mother, "she is a mean old woman". Maybe she is right.
She was married in 1936 to Howard Bratten, who preceded her in death in 1982. Howard and Willie moved to California from Kansas to pursue greater opportunities where Willie was a Manager at JJ Newberry's in Compton for 15 years before retirement. Everyone who knew Willie remembers her happy and caring personality along with her beautiful smile. Her favorite pastimes were going to club with girlfriends and playing bingo, attending her grandsons' athletic games, getting her hair styled on a weekly basis, and visiting family.
She is survived by three daughters and their husbands: Mary and John McCloskey, Georgia and Norm Wiebe, and Grace and Walter Schiller; 6 grandchildren: Chris (Jaime), Jeff (Meghan), Jennifer (Kurt), Ann Marie, Teresa (Geoff), and Kurt; along with 12 great grandchildren.
Wilnita passed away this January 2016 past. Grace, her daughter went to see her mother before she died. Her mother on her death bed said to her; "I loved you best". They expressed their love for each other. What Grace found out later was her mother changed her Will and named Grace's sister, Mary Ruth McCloskey, as executrix of the estate. In her Will she specifically cut her daughter Grace and Grace’s family out of her Will leaving the bulk of her estate to Mary Ruth and Mary's two boys, Chris and Jeff McCloskey. Clearly Mary Ruth convinced her mother to exclude Grace from her will and give Grace's portion of her estate to Mary's two sons. The why of this is not known as Wilnita never confided in Grace why she did this. To much of a coward I guess. The dates on the Will and Trust, October 1, 2008, coincided with Grace battling MS and breast cancer and we suspicion that Mary made her move at this time and convinced her mom to do this. The why of this is not known; perhaps anger over words spoken or even childhood resentment. Did Mary know how her mother felt about Grace? I guess we will never know. I wonder how Grace's dad, Howard, would have felt about this. This perhaps the meanest thing I have ever seen happen from a mother to a daughter. Wilnita's oldest daughter, Georgia, always said of her own mother, "she is a mean old woman". Maybe she is right.
Wilnita Ruth Bratten of Whittier, California died peacefully January 22, 2016 with her family by her side. She lived a long and fulfilling life passing at the age of 95 years old. Willie had a large family and was often referred to as "Mom" or "Grandma" by both friends and family who loved her dearly. Willie was born in 1920 in Kansas City, Kansas to William and Grace Rollins, she had three brothers, Richard (surviving), Charles, and William Jr.
She was married in 1936 to Howard Bratten, who preceded her in death in 1982. Howard and Willie moved to California from Kansas to pursue greater opportunities where Willie was a Manager at JJ Newberry's in Compton for 15 years before retirement. Everyone who knew Willie remembers her happy and caring personality along with her beautiful smile. Her favorite pastimes were going to club with girlfriends and playing bingo, attending her grandsons' athletic games, getting her hair styled on a weekly basis, and visiting family.
She is survived by three daughters and their husbands: Mary and John McCloskey, Georgia and Norm Wiebe, and Grace and Walter Schiller; 6 grandchildren: Chris (Jaime), Jeff (Meghan), Jennifer (Kurt), Ann Marie, Teresa (Geoff), and Kurt; along with 12 great grandchildren.
Wilnita passed away this January 2016 past. Grace, her daughter went to see her mother before she died. Her mother on her death bed said to her; "I loved you best". They expressed their love for each other. What Grace found out later was her mother changed her Will and named Grace's sister, Mary Ruth McCloskey, as executrix of the estate. In her Will she specifically cut her daughter Grace and Grace’s family out of her Will leaving the bulk of her estate to Mary Ruth and Mary's two boys, Chris and Jeff McCloskey. Clearly Mary Ruth convinced her mother to exclude Grace from her will and give Grace's portion of her estate to Mary's two sons. The why of this is not known as Wilnita never confided in Grace why she did this. To much of a coward I guess. The dates on the Will and Trust, October 1, 2008, coincided with Grace battling MS and breast cancer and we suspicion that Mary made her move at this time and convinced her mom to do this. The why of this is not known; perhaps anger over words spoken or even childhood resentment. Did Mary know how her mother felt about Grace? I guess we will never know. I wonder how Grace's dad, Howard, would have felt about this. This perhaps the meanest thing I have ever seen happen from a mother to a daughter. Wilnita's oldest daughter, Georgia, always said of her own mother, "she is a mean old woman". Maybe she is right.
She was married in 1936 to Howard Bratten, who preceded her in death in 1982. Howard and Willie moved to California from Kansas to pursue greater opportunities where Willie was a Manager at JJ Newberry's in Compton for 15 years before retirement. Everyone who knew Willie remembers her happy and caring personality along with her beautiful smile. Her favorite pastimes were going to club with girlfriends and playing bingo, attending her grandsons' athletic games, getting her hair styled on a weekly basis, and visiting family.
She is survived by three daughters and their husbands: Mary and John McCloskey, Georgia and Norm Wiebe, and Grace and Walter Schiller; 6 grandchildren: Chris (Jaime), Jeff (Meghan), Jennifer (Kurt), Ann Marie, Teresa (Geoff), and Kurt; along with 12 great grandchildren.
Wilnita passed away this January 2016 past. Grace, her daughter went to see her mother before she died. Her mother on her death bed said to her; "I loved you best". They expressed their love for each other. What Grace found out later was her mother changed her Will and named Grace's sister, Mary Ruth McCloskey, as executrix of the estate. In her Will she specifically cut her daughter Grace and Grace’s family out of her Will leaving the bulk of her estate to Mary Ruth and Mary's two boys, Chris and Jeff McCloskey. Clearly Mary Ruth convinced her mother to exclude Grace from her will and give Grace's portion of her estate to Mary's two sons. The why of this is not known as Wilnita never confided in Grace why she did this. To much of a coward I guess. The dates on the Will and Trust, October 1, 2008, coincided with Grace battling MS and breast cancer and we suspicion that Mary made her move at this time and convinced her mom to do this. The why of this is not known; perhaps anger over words spoken or even childhood resentment. Did Mary know how her mother felt about Grace? I guess we will never know. I wonder how Grace's dad, Howard, would have felt about this. This perhaps the meanest thing I have ever seen happen from a mother to a daughter. Wilnita's oldest daughter, Georgia, always said of her own mother, "she is a mean old woman". Maybe she is right.
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