Dr. William Wiggins Wilder
February 2, 1924 — June 8, 2014
Dr. William Wiggins Wilder, resident of Germantown, native of the Longtown Community, United States Veteran and husband of the late Katherine Lee Brown Wilder, departed this life Sunday evening, June 8, 2014 at the Methodist Hospice Residence in Memphis where he resided for two days. He was 90 years of age and died following a brief illness.
Services of Remembrance with Military Recognition for Dr. Wilder were conducted at 11 A.M. Wednesday, June 11th at the Braden United Methodist Church with Dr. Mark Matheny, pastor of the church, officiating. Personal remarks were given by Shelton Wilder. Special music was provided by Eva Dale Williams, pianist and Patti Harper, soloist. Interment followed in the Belmont Cemetery at Mason. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes and Cremation Center — Main Chapel of Somerville.
Dr. Wilder was born February 2, 1924 in the Longtown Community of Fayette County. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Chamblee Wilder and Martha Anna Shelton Wilder. He received his education in the Fayette County Public School System. He completed his undergraduate at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and was a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Memphis. He later continued his education at Harvard University to become an opthamologist.
Dr. Wilder served his country in the United States Army during the World War II Period and served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force during the Korean War Period. He was married April 3, 1954 to the former Katherine Lee Brown, a medical assistant before her retirement, who preceded him in death on July 3, 2008. He served as a general practitioner for the former Morris Clinic in Somerville for seven years and served as an opthamologist in the Memphis area before his retirement 15 years ago. He was a resident of Germantown for 45 years and was a member of the Germantown Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Wilder enjoyed many outdoor activities that included fishing, riding horses, boating, riding four-wheelers and riding the tractor. He received much pleasure in training dogs for the Bird Dog Field Trials in Grand Junction and watching University of Tennessee Football. Quail hunting, coon hunting and reading were favorite pastimes.
Dr. Wilder is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth Wilder Gould (John F.) of Maumelle, AR, Janet Wilder Bill (John Howell) of Winter Park, FL; his son, James Dwight Wilder (Paula F.) of Memphis; and seven grandchildren.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his son, William W. Wilder, Jr. M.D. and his brother, Lieutenant Governor John Shelton Wilder.
Pallbearers were family members and friends and the family requests that memorials be directed to the Belmont Cemetery Association, c/o Barbara Canady, 135 Canady Way, Oakland, TN 38060 or the Braden United Methodist Church, 230 Tennessee 59, Mason, TN 38049.