Iris May Wilde of Gilbertsville, New York, died on August 20. She was 90.
She was born Iris May Westwood on April 10, 1925, in the District of Dudley, England, to Elsie May and Victor.
A vivacious redhead with a quick wit and a, at times, sharp temper, she was quick to laugh and possessed an adventurous spirit that served her well later in life, survivors said. Growing up in pre-war England with her brother Ron, she enjoyed riding her bicycle and attending the local dances in town.
Shortly after the war, at one of the local dances she met a former German POW, Rudolf, living in England and working as a farm hand. Though he spoke little English at the time, he quickly became infatuated and started “courting” the young English girl, something he continued to do for the remainder of their marriage of 50-plus years.
The couple had three children, Annelie, Jacqueline and Nick, and in 1964 set sail on the Queen Mary from Southampton, England, to New York, in search of economic opportunity. Eventually, they settled in Hampton Bays, where Mr. Wilde became known in town as “Rudy the Baker,” and Ms. Wilde as his sharp-witted and, at times, opinionated wife.
Ms. Wilde loved to dance, knit, and later in life to quilt. Although they settled in New York State and raised their children there, eventually becoming U.S citizens, Ms. Wilde’s heart remained in her native England. She enjoyed nothing more than a nice cup of tea in a fine china cup and a tidy house to drink it in.
Ms. Wilde is survived by her brother, her three children, and five grandchildren, Angela, Neena, William, Ravi and Victor. She will be buried beside her husband at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 24, at Brookside Cemetery in Gilbertsville. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.
Condolences may be left at www.johnstonfh.com.
on Aug 24, 2015