Wilda C. Stacey

Wilda Curtis Wise was born to Dr. Hugh James Wise and Nora Ethel (Butler) Wise on December 7, 1915, in St. Louis, Missouri. The same year her father was graduated from Medical School and he moved his new family to Chadwick, Missouri, where Wilda's brother Robert James was born in 1917. The Wise family relocated to Sparta, Missouri, in Christian County, in south central Missouri. Wilda spent her childhood and young adulthood in this little town near Springfield, Missouri.
Wilda was loved in Sparta as a trusting, kind, and talented individual. As a teenager she entered the county fair. She ran the dash, played basketball, changed clothes to play a piano solo and then a vocal solo—winning her blue ribbons in every contest. She began college at Southwest Missouri State Teachers' College and was graduated from Lindenwood University, with a B.S. in Home Economics. When she returned home to Sparta the School Board immediately appointed her as Principal for the Sparta School. She still hears from the annual Sparta reunions and her students who loved her.
In 1939, after the murder of her father by the pharmacist in Sparta, Ethel, Wilda, and Bob moved to St. Louis, each to build a new working career. Ethel capitalized on her sewing skills. Wilda eventually went to work for the Food and Drug Administration. Bob began Medical School. It was a time of human challenge and soon war—the family heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor while having Wilda's birthday dinner. At this same time, Wilda's friend and neighbor from Sparta, Wallace Stacey, endured his medical school studies.
Wallace Raymond Stacey and Wilda Curtis Wise were married on December 23, 1943. Ethel Wise provided a small but elegant reception in a nearby hotel. However, there could be no wedding gown, no photographs, no luxuries. One witness, Mary Jane Woods (the future Mrs. Robert Wise), arrived at the wedding from the grocery store and left her whole chicken on the back pew.
With military service as a young physician, Wallace and Wilda lived in San Antonio, Texas; Biloxi, Mississippi; and New Orleans, Louisiana. While living in the French Quarter in 1947, their first son Raymond Christopher was born during Mardi Gras.
Wallace's internship and residency would take them to Birmingham, Alabama and back to St. Louis, Missouri. Wilda had a good job with the Food and Drug Administration. The government cases against certain candies and canned foods spoiled Wilda's taste for these items for years to come.
The highlight of these St. Louis years was the birth of their second son, Stephen Parker in 1950. As fate would have it, Wilda's doctor was out of town at the time of her labor and so Dr. Masters of the famous research team, "Masters and Johnson," delivered Steve into the world.
To begin his private medical practice, they chose the small, growing community of Independence in Jackson County. Anxious to attain this young Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Dr. Fitzgerald of Independence rolled out the red carpet and assigned his best nurse, Audene Blankenship, to Dr. Stacey. She assisted him in building the Independence Women's Clinic, which still operates successfully.
The practice grew to the point that Wallace found his first partner in Dr. Harry Jonas. Harry and Connie, his wife, arrived in Independence in 1956 and Wallace called Harry to immediately take on his first patient—Wilda. Wallace had already sought advice from his medical colleagues in Kansas City. At 41 years of age, Wilda willingly took a serious risk to her health to give birth to her third son, James Jeffrey.
Wallace also had a great partner in Wilda, who worked for decades for the betterment of medical education and community health through the American Medical Association (AMA) Women's Auxiliary—later renamed the "Medical Alliance". She served locally in Kansas City, then the Alliance of Jackson County, then the state. Wilda served as Missouri State President and served on the national Board of Directors of the Alliance. The monthly board meetings, held in the AMA headquarters city of Chicago, meant Wilda was frequently away from home. She began to be concerned with her family's well being. So when the national Board asked Wilda to become Alliance President for the United States, to serve in 50 states some 60,000 members, Wilda declined the honor and this giant responsibility. She chose her family first. She continued to participate and support the Kansas City "Metro-Med Alliance" until moving to Syracuse, NY, in 2003.
She also devoted herself to the community through many other organizations. These include the Independence Junior Service League, the Independence Study Club, the Mary Paxton Study Class, the Bingham Waggoner Historical Society, the Chicago-Alton Depot Restoration, Citizens for the Archives, Jackson County Historical Society, City of Independence Historical Commission, Community Association for the Arts, Women's Council of the University of Missouri—Kansas City, Friends of Truman Campus—University of Missouri. She gave her rich experience to the First Baptist Church of Independence and Unity Temple of Kansas City. She also served Pembroke Hill School during 1959-1975 while her sons attended the school. Since 1959 to the present she maintained friendships with doctors and their spouses in Great Britain. Wallace became the first American physician to be invited to join the "Fothergill Club" associated with the Royal College of Medicine in London.
Through her spiritual faith and interest in world cultures Wilda joined her son, Rev. James Stacey, in founding the Non Profit—The Spring: Center for Spiritual and Cultural Unity. Until her death Wilda proudly told others of the intention of this organization and its unique accomplishments. She participated in its spiritual education, cultural exhibits, and performances; and attended numerous conferences related to The Spring in various U.S. cities and Dornach, Switzerland. She also remained an active member of The Spring Board of Directors.
Somehow Wallace and Wilda found regular time to travel the world with their sons. After the boys went off to college, Wallace and Wilda continued to travel. One of their most extraordinary trips was to China. Their travels over the years took them to most of the continents of the world. Wilda explored great cultural cities, jungles, deserts, and mountains—even in Afghanistan. It is not an exaggeration to say that Wilda has loved and been loved by so many around the world. She made a wondrous difference in a world far bigger and more troubled than her little childhood town of Sparta.
Although there are many more activities and accomplishments that could be shared about her life—she maintained two essentials: trust and love. At thirteen she was baptized in a river near Sparta and she gave her life over to God's care. Throughout the challenges of her life she had a great faith that God would provide her with strength. Her mother taught her that "one day she would fully understand." Until recently she would guide the Unity group in Fayetteville, NY, to end each Sunday service with the affirmation: "All is well."
Her second essential, and the foundation of our family, has always been unconditional love. As she expressed it in her last days, "I love you beyond all conception."
Wilda Curtis Wise Stacey, 95, died peacefully in the arms of her son James, in their home in Fayetteville, NY, on October 13, 2011. A private prayer vigil was held in the home, October 13-14. The funeral will be held at Mount Washington Cemetery, Independence, MO, on October 25, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wallace R. Stacey, MD, and Wilda C. Stacey Endowed Scholarship, University of Missouri School of Medicine, One Hospital Drive DC205.00, Columbia, MO 65212.