Obituary : Mildred L. Flanders
Published: October 15, 2009
Mildred Louise Wheeler Flanders, age 91, long-time resident of Menemsha, died on Monday, Oct. 12, while a resident of Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Mildred was born on October 10, 1918, to Millard and Hattie Wheeler of New Bedford. In 1940 she graduated from Bridgewater State Teacher's College. After graduation she started teaching in the Menemsha School and was its principal. She went on to teach in the New Bedford, Fairhaven, and Mattapoisett school systems.
During Mildred's time in Menemsha she met her future husband, Robert N. Flanders Jr. a local fisherman and carpenter. They were married on August 8, 1941 and after her husband came home from WWII they established a home in Mattapoisett. Their family grew first two boys, then a girl, and then two more boys. They moved back to Menemsha in 1969, where they could both share their love of the sea. They were married for over 66 years until Bob's passing in February 2008.
Mildred was a woman of strong faith and one of Jehovah's Witnesses. She regularly attended meetings at the Kingdom Hall and could be often seen going from door-to-door proclaiming a message of comfort and hope for the future that she found in the Bible.
Mildred is survived by her four sons, one daughter and their spouses. Laurence and Lynn of Linville, Va.; Robert and Anna of Dillon, S.C.; Luisann and Frederick Bollin of Vineyard Haven; Frank and Vivian of West Tisbury; and Carl and Sherry of Menemsha. She also leaves 16 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
The memorial service for Mildred will be held on October 17 at 2 pm at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, located on State Road in West Tisbury.
