WARDELL, Lydia May

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ July 19, 2007 Lydia May Wilhelm Wardell died June 27, 2007, at 4:45 a.m. in Falls Church, Va. She was born in St. Johns Aug. 13, 1936, to Virginia and Marion Wilhelm. Lydia was an accomplished musician, conductor, and vocalist whose many years of amateur and semi-professional associations included the Seattle Chorale, the Brahms Singers, and the Mormon Choir of Washington, DC, in addition to many regional choirs, theatres, and drama companies. She also worked as a professional writer and editor with credits that included the Portland Oregonian and Vancouver Columbian, several international LDS publications, and many national and regional trade publications. An avid commercial photographer, she frequently illustrated her own written material. In recent years her interests expanded to include Cavalier King Charles spaniels, exotic birds, and developing children's literature. She is survived by her husband, David Joseph Wardell; parents Virginia and Harvey Wilhelm; her siblings, Marion Wilhelm, Nonie Johnson, Mary Tillotson, Betty Johnson and Carroll Spence Wilhelm. Her surviving children are Virginia L. Spencer, Troy R. Lee, Antoinette L. Nelson, Rebecca L. Clark and David Andrew Lee. 18 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.