Wilma Bingel

Wilma Louise Bingel, 88, passed away Wednesday, August 1, 2012, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colo. A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, August 9, 2012, at the Silverton Public School Gymnasium. Pastor Stan Formby and Pastor Mark Lawson will be officiating. Burial will occur at Hillside Cemetery in Silverton following the services.

Mrs. Bingel was born April 15, 1924, in La Plata, Colo., the daughter of Joseph and Rose Etta Stonebarger. Wilma grew up in La Plata, Colo., and attended school on what she called “The Dry Side” in a one-room school house. She moved to Silverton at age 16 with her family, where she worked for a brief time at the Silver Lake Mansion. After “retirement” from business ownership, Wilma was also a well-known employee at the Bent Elbow restaurant.

While in Silverton, Wilma met her future husband, George Bingel. They were married in 1941 in Aztec, N.M. They continued to live in Silverton, where they raised a family of seven children and established several local businesses, including a laundromat, hardware store, the local campground, and a propane business. Perhaps most reflective of Wilma’s personality, however, was a recreational hall called the 8-Ball, where she had the opportunity to positively touch the lives of many of Silverton’s youth, whom she all counted as her friends.

George passed away in 1990, but Wilma continued to live in Silverton until asthmatic issues forced her to move to the lower altitudes of Durango in 1999. She still counted Silverton and the people there as her home and her loved community. She visited often and was always greeted with open arms, smiles, and warm wishes from community members, young and old. Everyone knew Wilma.

Wilma was, perhaps, best known for her great love of her Saviour, Jesus Christ. She devoutly read her Bible every day, and was a member of the Victorious Life Fellowship in Durango for the last few years. Wilma also organized Vacation Bible School in Silverton for many years, where she created many wonderful memories with the children of the Silverton community. She never left on a trip without her beloved Bible, and read it at least three times from cover-to-cover. Wilma had a scripture for every situation, and would dispense advice kindly and with love.

Wilma enjoyed doing the Durango Herald crossword, crocheting, and doing arts and crafts. She had a great love for animals, especially her poodles and her cat. Luckily, Wilma had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren because one of her favorite activities was to attend birthday parties. In spite of having so many to remember, she never forgot the multitude of dates on which each of her family members were born. For her own 88th birthday, Wilma went for a three-week trip to the west coast where she was blessed to visit numerous family members along the way. The trip involved long daily drives, but she always enjoyed rides in and around Silverton, as well as seeing the country. Wilma was also a huge fan of the Denver Broncos, and--like her family--supported them through thick and thin.

Wilma is survived by her daughters Linda Luther, Jeanetta (Sue) Sanders, Patricia Contreras and Charla Andreatta all of Silverton, Colo., sons George (Leon) Bingel of Round Mountain, Nev., and David Bingel of Durango, Colo. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great grandchildren.

Wilma is also survived by several siblings, including: sisters Virginia Hotchkiss of Gresham, Ore., Helen Zufelt of Imley, Nev., Barbara Lindsey of Cahone, Colo., and Sharon Grimes of La Plata, N.M., and a brother, Roy Grey, of Riverside, Wash., and numerous other extended family.

Wilma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son, Richard Bingel, in 1978, four grandchildren, sisters Carol Moore, Josie Stocks, Vivian Zufelt and Thelma Blackmore, and her brother, Herbert Grey.

In honor of Wilma, the family asks that donations be made to a charity of choice.