Wilma "Willie" F. Papka, 90, passed away on Wednesday, February 16, 2011, at the Garden Hills Assisted Living in Spearfish, SD.

Funeral Services for Willie will be held on Monday, February 21, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Buffalo, SD. Pastor Tom Martin will officiate with burial to follow in the Buffalo Cemetery. There will be a Family and Friends Service on Sunday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Home Chapel in Bowman, ND.

Willie, as everyone called her, was born on May 19, 1920, to Carrie (Boylan) and Wilbur Flathers. She enjoyed spending time with her dad delivering milk and mail. Carrie and Wilbur ran a boarding house and Willie played pranks on the guests while she was cleaning their rooms for them. Wilbur also had Willie deliver milk by herself. Willie and several of her friends would all pile in the car to go driving around. So instead of driving around and putting miles on the odometer, she would back up so the miles would not show on the car. Willie and her friends used to race around the flag pole that was in the center of the street by the Super Value store. Willie enjoyed sharing her memories with everyone and was always laughing as she told them. Wilbur used to have a band that played at dances and Willie used to play in the band along side of her father. At Redig one rainy night, Vernon (Vern) Papka was at the dance and the electricity went out. While Willie was playing Vern would shine a flashlight at her face. They began dating and were married on May 19, 1941. They moved to Ludlow and herded sheep for a year and then moved back to Buffalo. To this union two daughters were born, Vernetta Kay on July 10 and Cora Jane on July 4.
Willie washed dishes at Cora's café from 1971-1975. Willlie and Vern were janitors at the Court House for ten years and she washed dishes at the Oasis for several years as well. She loved her family dearly. Throughout her life, Willie was an active member of the Congregational Church and was also very involved with the Senior Citizens. Willie entered an Assisted Living facility in February 2010 and lived there until the time of her death. Willie was very proud to be a part of the Buffalo community and was always proud to call Buffalo her home. She was very grateful for all of her visitors and caretakers while she lived in Buffalo and her time in Spearfish.
She was preceded in death by her parents Wilbur and Carrie and her husband Vernon, her brother Harry and his wife Irene. Survivors include two daughters : Vernetta Susa, Fort Mahave AZ; Cora and Joe Giannonatti, Ludlow, SD; one sister-in-law Florence; six grandchildren: Craig Hildreth, Phyllis Runyan both of Monroe, NC; Jonathan Susa, Dickinson, ND; Tanya and Colby Crago, Belle Fourche, SD; Lance and Nel Giannonatti, Ludlow, SD; Lana Giannonatti and Nick Stroot, Rapid City, SD; and also 11 great grandchildren.

Memorial are suggested to the Buffalo Congregational Church and the Buffalo Senior Center.

Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Services of Bowman in charge of the arrangements.