The first Mrs. Parker died in an unfortunate kitchen fire.

Instead of attending her local school, Wilma went into Bismarck, ND, for her first two years of high school. But after her father died, with her mother she moved off the farm and into New Salem, where she finished high school at age 16 in 1925. She then attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks for two years. By then her mother had remarried and moved to California, so Wilma transferred to U-Cal Berkeley for her last two years, majoring in history and graduating in 1929. She stayed at Berkeley another year and completed her Masters degree. For one of those semesters, her grandmother Freise, who had been visiting Wilma's mother in Artois, California, came to Berkeley and did the cooking in the coop where Wilma was living.

For eight years she taught in the town of Bieber in rural northern California, during which time she saved $1000 and traveled around the world (1934). Believing the six weeks she spent in Germany would be of interest to many who lived in the heavily German community in which she grew up, she wrote an article for the New Salem (North Dakota) Journal, which was printed March 1, 1935. She then married J. B. Parker (1936), a fellow teacher.

In about 1938, Wilma and her husband moved to Vallejo, California, where Wilma lived a rich and rewarding life after her husband died in 1961. She long taught English to a series of immigrants, many of them Chinese, who served as her “second family.” In her church she was also active in printing and assembling Bible study materials in Braille and mailing them each week around the world.

She did, however, find time for a 90th-birthday party given in her honor in October of 1999 by cousins from Oregon, Arizona, Washington state and Wisconsin.

The bulletin at Wilma Parker’s funeral on Dec. 20, 2003. adds to the above narrative but seems less accurate in some of its details, as follows:

Wilma Bertha Parker passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 13th, at her home in Vallejo with her granddaughter Susan at her side.

She was born on October 18th, 1909, in Judson, North Dakota, to Ottilda and Richard Meyer. Wilma went to school and worked hard on the family farm. In 1924 her father died from an infected mosquito bite. Wilma and her mother found it too hard to run the farm without him. The two of them left North Dakota and moved to California in 1927. Wilma attended and graduated from the University of California at Berkley with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a teaching credential. Her first teaching job was in 1931 in Bieber, California, where she taught high school. She loved music and was very active with the school and church music programs. Bieber is where she met her husband, John Belle Parker, and her stepson, John Herbert Parker. They moved to Vallejo in 1943 where Wilma continued to work as a devoted teacher and became a school counselor at Franklin Jr. High for 19 years, then Hogan High School until she retired in 1972.

In the early 1950s, John B. had a paralyzing stroke. He was no longer able to work. Wilma cared for him until his death in 1961. Wilma and her mother moved in together, tended to their flower garden, and happily cooked and baked for the many events that were associated with their church. Wilma was her mother’s caregiver for the last years of her life before she died in 1981. Wilma was very active in the church rummage sales and food committee, supplying food for weddings, wedding receptions and funerals. She put together braille Bible books and saw that they were sent to blind people around the world who wanted to read the Bible. Wilma led a weekly Bible study group in her home for many years, plus she has always been very generous with her monetary donations to the church and charities.

Suffering from arthritis, Wilma patiently taught English to foreign-born people to help them towards obtaining their U. S. citizenship. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for women educators. She drove and delivered Meals-On-Wheels to shut-ins in Vallejo for years. She liked to sew, and took great pride in making quality perfect, factory-like creations.

Wilma has traveled the world. She had a love for art galleries and histories here and around the world. She kept up with current events and was a true joy to converse with. Her fine intellectual curiosity, with her objective to learn and enjoy life’s offerings was her passion.

Wilma had many friends who loved her. She was kind and loyal and never said an unkind word about anyone.

Wilma was a perfectionist in the way she maintained her beautiful home, yard, flower gardens and her sewing creations, but mostly she was a perfectionist in the way she lived, as a true Christian.

In death, Wilma is survived by one stepson, John Herbert Parker, of Atascadero, California, and three step-grandchildren, Susan Parker of Atascadero, Tom Parker and Kathryn Parker Lararowzz of Fountain Hills, Arizona.”

Wilma’s funeral was at First Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) at 912 Florida Street in Vallejo with Rev. David Prinz officiating. Burial was at Skyview Memorial Lawn.

* * * * *

Here is Wilma’s article that appeared in the New Salem (North Dakota) Journal on March 1, 1935.


German Politics -- 1934

Editor's note: The [New Salem] Journal is particularly proud to present this exclusive feature to its readers. Coming from a granddaughter of the late Herman Freise of this community and dealing with the present day conditions in the land at one time dear to many of our readers, it should be very well received. Today the author is a social science instructor in the Bieber (California) High School. While on a world tour last summer, Miss Meyer spent considerable time in Germany. She graduated from the New Salem High School in 1925.

By Wilma Meyer

I believe the question that I have been asked more than any other since my return has been, "How did you find conditions in Germany and what do the Germans think about Hitler?" That has led me to choose this question and discuss it in the light of information gleaned not from official circles but from conversations with a goodly number of middle and lower class Germans of various occupations.

Not only here in America but all over the world, people are interested in these same questions. It seemed that the closer we got to Germany the bluer the atmosphere seemed to be, with talk of the disturbances that were taking place upon the continent. For a time it seemed hardly safe or advisable to go there. Seventy had been shot down in cold blood without even court martial. The old World War hero, Hindenburg, had conveniently breathed his last, leaving the stage clear for Hitler. Concentration camps were reported fairly bursting with prisoners, Americans being put in jail for not using the Nazi salute, "Heil Hitler." These and other frightful things were heard.

On my way from England to Germany, I was fortunate in riding to Southampton in a coach occupied by a group of female German students from the University of Berlin, who were in England for the purpose of studying English, and their two chaperones. One of the latter was a German-born University of Chicago teacher who always started things. The other was a poor little English saxophonist. Our elderly Miss Chicago started the ball rolling with "How does Germany feel about the 70 political victims?" "Just exactly what should have happened to them," was the quick retort of the German students. "They must serve as an example to stamp out communism, and furthermore they had a fair trial before the party court." Then the discussion turned to Hitler, who was especially fine, according to the University students. As one easily sensed, they were filling a propaganda mission in England, as well as their other duties. Suddenly the conversation turned to the Treaty of Versailles, and if there was smoke before, it had been fanned into flames. The poor little English man was practically crucified when he admitted that he was just an ordinary musician and had not read the treaty. The whole world was accused of not knowing of the injustice that the treaty had done Germany. Red-eared, the saxophonist reinstated himself by saying that, should there be another war in the near future, the English nation would join on the side of Germany. The Americans were then reminded of the Los Angeles that had been manufactured by the Germans and delivered to America. They seemed to forget the huge amounts of private and public funds that were from time to time lent Germany, but admitted that great amounts of money in the form of inheritances had been sent to their people from America. These were of course extreme propagandists. Never does old man propaganda leave one. He introduced me to Germany, he followed me about all the time I was there, and even as I was about to return to the U.S. he couldn't refrain from bubbling over, as manifest in the anxiety which my family in Germany felt for my safety in strike- and kidnap-overrun America.

In Germany they try equally hard to convert you to the cause. One evening, as I landed in Langenhagen after one of my jaunts, my aunt was at the streetcar line to meet me, and on our way home we were overtaken by a S. A. man of her acquaintance. He insisted upon carrying my bag, and gave me a liberal lecture on, "Now go back to America and tell them there that we did not eat you, and that we S. A. men are really higher animals." Even my own German family, I found it rather hard to convince them Americans did not have a personal grudge against them.

Hindenburg had died before I arrived there, and one heard a great deal about him, but in seeing the news reels of the funeral procession one realized why a people could not live in such a famous one's memory, for never was Hitler in the background. He rules and directs all. In the last election, which had occurred before we came, in which the Reichspresident and Reichschancellor were made one office, four million of the 60 million people had voted against Hitler. Several people that I spoke with thought this particularly significant, and almost indicative of his fall. According to all reports, the election must have been more democratic than was reported in our papers. But naturally the people, for whom Hitler has created jobs, are not going to vote against him, neither are those to whom he has paid dole.

Now the questions that might come to your mind. How do the people of different occupations and in different parts of Germany feel toward the Führer?

The first thing one hears on setting foot on German soil is "Heil Hitler," the common form of salute. I heard complaints as to the several forms of greetings. A young woman once said to me, "One must be a virtual mind reader to know whether one will be wasting words to say 'Guten Tag.'" However, Heil Hitler was not in my vocabulary, and I was not put in jail. In fact I was not even upbraided for not using it. This form of greeting is used to exclusion of any other by the younger set.

All the public buildings have signs saying "The greeting that counts here is Heil Hitler." In most of them, as in the Rathaus in Hanover, you find busts of pictures of the Chancellor. The guides almost make you stand on your head and strain your neck to see the benevolent look in the Chancellor's eye.

The southeastern part of Germany, namely Saxony, is not nearly as excited about the Führer. He gives them dole, to be sure, but he has not given them work. There, large woolen mills have not been working; whole cities of men are still unemployed. Furthermore, they are a more comfortable type of people who do not stand on ceremony as those of the north. Heil Hitlers are fewer, and readier criticism of the government is forthcoming from the poorer classes. In fact, I found communistic tendencies among a number of the unemployed. The consensus of opinion seemed to be either state socialism or Nazism will be accepted by the whole world, as Germany cannot stand alone, or Germany will eventually have some sort of communism.

The religious groups, too, find objections to Hitler. I spoke there with the wife of a superintendent of the Lutheran Church. She, for moral grounds, objected to the dreadful killings, but to be sure only among select groups. Their own national bishop had been replaced underhanded by Hitler. Muller had been put in his place. All clergy were forced to take an oath of allegiance to the Chancellor. At first, the clergy thought the situation to be ideal. All protestant churches were to be united. Soon, however, they found that under the new bishop, the churches with whom they had combined had more or less substituted Hitler for Jesus Christ. A few of the more sincere and strict constructionists had formed their own organization, and had signed a covenant to guide them in their preaching and teaching. The meetings of this group were to be kept exclusive. This group, nevertheless, I believe to be a very small portion of the population, for Germany as every other nation has a decided religious decline since the [first world] war.

Professional people lacked the usual enthusiasm for Hitler, it seemed. In southern Germany, luck was mine in having encouraged a grammar school teacher, with whom I was riding from Dresden to Leipzig, to speak a few words of broken English. From this broken bit of conversation I learned much. He told me that all teachers were bound to teach Hitler doctrine in the schools. If they were not fervent enough, they would be speedily demoted. In fact, he had lost his first appointment, as he was not a S. A. man. A teacher's obligations were such that when all dues and donations were made, he had very little to live on. Especially if he were unfortunate enough to be unmarried and had to pay bachelor's dues. This teacher had organized instead of a Hitler Youth group a Turner Verein, the age-old athletic society. This movement seemed to be almost stronger in southern Germany than the Hitler Youth, showing that the appeal to the youth is just from the sports angle.

Merchants and business people were strong Hitlerites. Jewish competition has been removed. They are making money, particularly the clothing merchants. They sell 99 different varieties of uniforms that are being worn by the different organizations.

Young University and school people of the higher institutions of learning are fervent for they must belong to the party if they wish to advance. They take it philosophically and seem to feel no reluctance.

This feeling for or against Hitler could be summed up by saying if the pocketbook is enhanced Hitler is the best man on earth, and if it is pinched by his policies he's a scoundrel. One finds the same reluctance in the ordinary German that one finds in our own people, the reluctance to actually think about the political situation for themselves. Like us, they are guided by propaganda, which they blindly accept.

How is Hitler trying to hold the line?

First of all, the press is censored. What flowery newsmakers those German papers are. To be sure, they avoid scandalous news such as that which appears in our own papers&endash;no divorces, no murders, no kidnappings, but also no political news that would be bad for the people. The Germans that are really interested in what the world knows about them and think about their affairs have access to foreign papers, which are sold on every news stand.

Letters, too, are censored. It is not the stern censorship that one imagines. Of the number of people that write me from Germany, only one person's letters are opened. She is not in sympathy with the administration, and I presume the officials are aware of it.

Secondly, by personal contacts the Chancellor wishes to keep his people under his thumb. "A radio in every home" has long been the Nazi slogan. Each home is to enjoy the Chancellor's talk. I heard a number of these talks. They are over and over again promises of peace to a most noble nation. Every year there is a nation-wide party gathering. This year one was held at Nuremberg. Many of the women were in their sectional costume. Then men unkempt and unshaven looked a though they had not slept for days. These celebrations could not be better attended.

Thirdly, the organizations of Germany help to hold the line. There are so many uniforms that one doesn't know which are the policemen. The Arbeitsdienst organization can be compared with the C.C.C. group in the U.S. Any young boy can work for six months, for which he receives his clothing, board and a small salary. Of these six months, six weeks are spend in military drill and sports at a sports school. The boys do all sorts of work on roads, in forests, etc. Very often they are seen marching down the street singing German songs. All University youth are required to belong to this group, mainly, it is claimed, so that they will learn how to work.

Next, the reserve corps, or S. A. men. Call them glorified policemen or whatever you will, they are still soldiers. In their khaki uniforms trimmed in blue, red, orange or green, denoting the region from which they come, they act as escorts to the Chancellor, having traffic duties, and search alleged communist dens once in a while, as one of them confided in me. They meet once a week to train. Membership is not compulsory. In fact, a weeding out was taking place when I was there. Whoever felt that the party was taking too much of his time was asked to hand in his resignation. The S. A. organization was to have in it only true party men and no lukewarms.

The Sturm troopers are the regular soldiers. Again here the enrollment is not compulsory. So many have enrolled within this last year that not nearly all have been accepted. A cousin of mine, feeling that military training might become compulsory before he finished his studies at the University, wished to enroll but was not accepted. In Hanover, they were building a large number of barracks. Emphasis there was upon the air corps. There is good reason for this because the various Zeppelins were built in Hanover. The Sturm troopers are made use of, too. A post office, an old ruin, a monument, almost anything . . it is important to have a guard stationed about it. Three to five Sturm troopers are chosen as judges and before these judges the guilt or innocence of man is determined by whether he is dangerous to the state.

The Hitler youth, the six-to-sixteen group, is the largest group under Hitler. It is an appeal to the sports interests of the youth. They have Saturday afternoon off for hiking, tramping, and marching on outings. There is a club house in every neighborhood, where they meet for drill talks and social gatherings. Even among pre-school children you find marching, singing and drumming, in orderly soldier fashion. They uphold this by saying, "better to have boys marching down the street singing songs than laying around on street corners developing into criminals."

Among the women there is the Frauenschaft. They are an organization which meets together to sew and do charity work. All business women are required to belong. They work for the well people and let the crippled, blind and deficients be cared for by the church.

Parallel to the S. A. group for men is the Madelbund group for girls. They are trained as leaders for the Hitler Youth Society.

Fourthly, Hitler is upholding his party by teaching propaganda in schools. I cannot help repeating the two lines of a verse that I heard a little girl recite. They might be translated something like this:

"Every land may be destroyed,
"Germany must stand.

Even following an adult class that I visited, new patriotic songs were sung.

What has Hitler done for Germany? He is condoned [condemned?] for putting women back into the kitchen. True, but not against their own will. The German woman has never been emancipated in the sense that Americans have been. Hitler conquered the women by their own consent, so to speak. German people as a whole have always been told what to do and they enjoy being told. They are used to obeying orders.

Hitler has given employment to hoards that had felt they had nothing to live for, who would for lack of something to do have become criminals.

He has appealed to Germans to revive the best in their old culture, literature, song, opera and folklore.

He has stood for a sane, sober way of living. Girls are encouraged to refrain from smoking, excessive drinking, ruffles, rouge and cosmetics. Interest in nature is encouraged.

He has attempted to pay more attention to the health of his people. The state is spending money for the healthy ones with the idea of keeping them physically fit. By his social program of sterilization, with examination and remedial operation for all newly born children, the entire race is to be improved. We wonder, are there other reasons for this than to make good soldiers of them?

He gives dole to the unemployed for several years, according to the positions which they once held. Eleven marks per week was the rate for a master workman.

He is attempting to have Germany reinstated in world trade, from which she has practically been excluded. No nations will sell her the necessary materials. The soap supply was rumored to be getting very low; it was suggested that in the near future, if things remained as they were, the government would have to allot so much soap per family per month.

He worked untiringly in spreading propaganda in the Saar, in order to regain that which the German nation felt to be their birth right.

He has certainly prepared Germany. I have already mentioned the vast army, called one thing or another. Air transportation is used extensively, and their transport ships, as ours, could within a half hour's time be turned into army planes. I was told of underground landing fields that even very few Germans know about. The gas-proof cellars that have been experimented with. These things are not generally known, and I certainly take issue with a recent writer whose article I read in our of our better magazines, saying that every German family is equipped with a gas mask. The preparations are not generally known by the Germans for the wounds of the late war are too fresh. They desire peace.

They wait in the streets for hours for a glimpse of the Chancellor or the youth leader, cracking a joke now about Hitler being delayed because he is eating soup, his favorite bean soup, at Frau Schmidt's, or that Göring, the dressiest Nazi, won't need a gavel when he begins speaking, all that he will have to do is run his hand over his decorations and there will be silence. Nevertheless, they wait to get one look at these people who whiz by them in high-powered autos. They have entrusted their fate to these hands, and they're waiting and hoping.