Wilma Mahoney Brokaw, 88 passed away quietly on July 16, 2011 at the Jewish Home for the Elderly in Fairfield, CT. Wilma was born on June 22, 1923 in Plains, Texas the daughter of Eula Rutledge Mahoney and Jack Francis Mahoney. She graduated from Midland High School in Midland, TX and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Wilma married Louis Brokaw Stryker (He later changed in name to John Brokaw) in April of 1950 in Yuma, AZ. They had two children, Diane and Julie Brokaw who were born in Santa Monica, CA. Wilma eventually moved to Fairfield, CT to be near her sister.
Wilma loved music – she sang, played the piano, violin and added the guitar in her later years. She also attended acting school at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA where she met Louis Stryker (also an actor). It has been rumored that she appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show in its very early days.
She worked for John Ahlbin & Sons in Bridgeport, CT in Human Resources from 1960 to 1978. She was often seen riding her bicycle to work from Fairfield to Bridgeport wearing a white hat, gloves and white boots. In 1978 she moved to Tequesta, FL where she was a tireless volunteer at The Pavilion at Jupiter Medical Center until 2001. She was well known for playing her guitar for residents on Sunday Mornings accompanied by Fred Ahlbin on ukulele and Jerry Burger on banjo.
Wilma is survived by her daughter Diane Thompson and her husband Anthony “Chip” Carpenter of Sandy Hook, CT and her daughter Julie Conley and her husband Douglas Conley of Olney, MD; five grandchildren: Gregg Conley of Athens, GA, Melissa Onofrey of Framingham, MA, Kelly Pu of Olney, MD, Audrey Valenzuela of Danbury, CT and Corinne Thompson of Danbury, CT; five great-grandchildren Izabella and Anthony Valenzuela; Robbie and Samantha Onofrey; and D.J. Pu.
She is predeceased by her parents, her husband in 1961; her brother-in-law Fred E. Ahlbin in May 2005; her sister Frances Ahlbin in November of 2007 and her cats, Samantha, Nikki and Guinevere.
There will be a Memorial Service on Saturday, July 30th at 2:00pm at the Honan Funeral Home at 58 Main St. in Newtown, CT.
Donations can be made to Jupiter Medical Center Foundation in memory of Wilma Brokaw, send them to Jupiter Medical Center Foundation, 1210 S. Old Dixie Highway, 1002 Building – Suite 305, Jupiter, Florida 33458. To leave an online condolence go to www.honanfh.com

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