Whilma Elizabeth (Klein) Clure was born on June 25, 1929, in Lake Preston, S.D., to Andrew and Phoebe (Raymond) Klein. Her heart just stopped beating on Jan. 14, 2016, at Kootenai Health.

She spent the first 14 years of her life growing up in South Dakota with her sister, Marie, and her five brothers: James, Andrew Jr., Ben, Edward and Gordon, before moving with her family to Wall Walla Valley in Washington state. There she met Aubrey Clure, a pre-med student at Walla Walla College and they were married on June 29, 1947. They had four children. Whilma followed her husband to all the dams he helped build, being a homemaker for her family.

When her children were in school, she went back to school, finishing her high school diploma at Worley High School in 1962, being valedictorian of her class. The family then moved to Rathdrum where she lived until her death. She went back to school and became an LPN in 1966 and worked at several area hospitals and nursing homes until she retired

During her years in Worley and Rathdrum, Whilma became involved in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Civil Air Patrol, VFW, MOC and the Rathdrum Senior Center, holding leadership positions in all organizations. Whilma and Aubrey were very active in their church — Seventh-Day Adventist Church — helping with the children’s Sabbath School departments, youth group and the Dorcas society. She was the last charter member of the Post Falls SDA Church on Poleline Avenue, where her memorial service will be held on her birthday, at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 25, 2016.

Whilma was preceded in death by her husband; her son, David; her parents; sister and four brothers. She is survived by her brother, Edward and (Beverly) Klein of Milton Freewater, Ore.; her daughter, Phoebe and (Joseph) Lykins of Coeur d’Alene; her sons, Craig and (Liz) of Craigmont, Idaho, and Dale Clure of Rathdrum, who was her caregiver through the past several years. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Christina, Shayne, Troy, Cheryl, Mike, Suzanne and Rosemary; and seven great-grandchildren.

English Funeral Chapel was in charge of her cremation. Please visit Whilma’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.