Wanda Colleen (Baldwin) McClanahan, 90, died on January 10, 2019, in Champlin, Minnesota after living a good long life, longer than she ever anticipated. She was born on October 15, 1928 in Picher, Oklahoma, to Albert and Ruth Baldwin.

Wanda was married to Lester for 67 years until his death in 2016. She longed to be with Lester again, and now she is.

Wanda grew up during the Great Depression in Kansas among a vast extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. She met Lester in Lawrence, Kansas, and they married on February 20, 1949.

Their life was one of adventure, as Les joined the National Park Service. Wanda loved to tell about one of their early homes that had dirt floors. Wherever they lived, Wanda immersed herself in church, social and charitable groups, and the national parks family. She worked in many different jobs including secretary, church education director, bookkeeper (about which she always joked she couldn't even balance her own checkbook), and cook at a church camp.

When the family moved to South Dakota in 1969, Les and Wanda knew it was where they would stay. They immediately bought their "ranch" near Custer and spent then next ten years building a home they moved into for good in 1980.

Wanda was never one to sit around wasting time. She gardened and canned—some of her children's favorite memories include raspberry, gooseberry, and chokecherry picking and all the smells coming from her kitchen. Wanda sewed clothes for the entire family, knitted whenever she did sit down, learned how to strip and stain woodwork, learned candle making. She was thrifty to a fault and never bought something if she could make it.

After the move to the ranch, Wanda took up art. Who knew she was so talented? Over the years she painted dozens of works, excelling in landscapes and natural settings. Later in life, she enjoyed pencil drawings, which Les thought were her best.

Wanda was active—a bit of an understatement—in the life of Custer Lutheran Fellowship, as well as a dedicated volunteer for many groups. She loved traveling with Les in his retirement and visiting grandchildren and great grandchildren.

When Lester died in 2016, Wanda moved to Minnesota. She missed her Black Hills, but the time had come when she needed a bit more assistance.

In 2018, Wanda celebrated her 90 ^th birthday with almost her entire family. Watching her five great grandchildren was the bright shining spot of her last two years.

Wanda was preceded in death by her loving and faithful husband, Lester. She is survived by her children and spouses: Michael and Laura McClanahan, Patrick and Marge McClanahan, and Neysa and David Jensen. Her grandchildren and spouses/partners: Kent and LeAnn McClanahan, Ryan McClanahan and Amy Massen-Shidla, Leah and Nick Wolter, Nathan and Carrie McClanahan, Sean and Kelsey McClanahan, Ian McClanahan, Melissa Jensen, Emily Jensen and Isaac Palmgren, and Peter Jensen. Her great-grandchildren: Brynn, Claire, Amelia, Aiden, and Levi.

Visitation will be held 2:30 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2019, at Custer Lutheran Fellowship in Custer, SD.

Memorial services will be held 4:00 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2019, at Custer Lutheran Fellowship in Custer, SD.  Committal services will follow at the Custer Cemetery in Custer, SD.

The family has designated the Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation for memorial donations to be made in memory of Wanda McClanahan. Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation 10701 Parkridge Blvd, Suite 170, Reston, VA 20191 or www.Sjogrens.org .

But perhaps the best memorial you could give is to volunteer your time and help as many people as you can in whatever way you can for as long as you can. Wanda would be honored by that.

Condolences may be sent to neysajensen@gmail.com .