Wilma Faye McRae Torretta passed peacefully surrounded by her family at home on December 12, 2022. She was born in Twin Falls Idaho on September 22, 1943. The daughter of Donald and Nellie McRae, Wilma grew up in a loving home that was enriched with music, a menagerie of pets and a love of God. She grew up attending Christian private schools including Gem State Academy, a high school in Caldwell, Idaho where she was involved in many leadership activities and performances. Wilma also attended Walla Walla University where she studied voice and music. In 1959, she met the love of her life, David Torretta and later married in 1966. They lived in Monterey, California, while David was in the Army. Later, they moved to Mount Vernon, Washington, where they started a family and careers. Wilma worked as a music teacher at a Seventh Day Adventist School in Burlington, Washington. She also gave private piano, voice, organ, and guitar lessons while raising her children. She later went on to work with adults with disabilities with art, recreation, and music therapy. She also worked for Skagit Mental Health, placing people with mental disabilities in jobs while teaching classes to support their sustainment and stability. She took great pride in helping others and making connections with people. She always welcomed her children and grandchildren's friends with open arms and attended many events for all of them. Wilma and David took an interest in all family and friends. They willingly took the responsibility of guardianship of a former student when his parents passed. Wilma was very involved in her community. She joined the Newcomers club to meet others in her area when she first moved to Skagit Valley. Wilma also was an active member of the Whatcom Chorale in Bellingham where she sang with the Chorale and was a chairperson for the membership drive and advertising, for several years. Later, she joined the Skagit Valley Chorale. She and David took several trips to perform concerts in other countries with friends in the Chorale. She supported her son with his career in Agricultural teaching and was involved in helping his students compete for state and national conventions in FFA by judging their presentations. She also joined her daughter at work, with art projects for primary students. She and her husband had great passion for vintage postcards. They bought, sold and traded the cards and were able to travel the country while pursuing this great hobby. Wilma artistically created a library of handmade custom cards from her personal ephemera collection which have been enjoyed and sold throughout the states. A lifelong passion of Wilma's was her unwavering support of the Native American community as she often shared stories of how her father, Don, was raised on a Winnebago reservation in Sioux City, Iowa and how her grandmother, Eva Wagner, was a teacher there. She and David attended Pow Wows in the Northwest where they were both invited and honored to carry opening ceremony flags on two occasions. In addition, Wilma and David were guest photographers at a few Pow Wows where they always and only gifted the beautiful images to the dancers and their families. While Wilma enjoyed all things about life, her greatest love was family. Wilma's life's motto shared with each of us was "Faith, family, friends and fun". Also, Wilma loved angels since she was a child and we believe she had a special connection with them throughout her life… one of her final comments shared with family just prior to her passing was that she saw angels.  Wilma is preceded in death by brother, Ray (Barb Ross) McRae, and nephew, Scott (Prudy Stoudt-McRae) McRae.  Until we meet again, she is survived by her husband, David Torretta, daughter, Julie (Tom) Hummel, three grandchildren, Amanda James, Haily and Emily Hummel, sons, David Spence and Tony (Shauna) Torretta, brother, Robert (Carole) McRae, nieces, Heather (Bill Bailey) and Laurel Ann (Mike Nelson) McRae, nephew, Richard (Mary) McRae, three great nieces, Nadia McRae, Riley and Fiona Nelson, niece, Dr. Theresa McRae, great nephew, Thaddeus McRae, niece, Linda (Jack Watrous) McRae-Watrous, great nephew John Richard Higdon and many precious extended family members and friends.

Please join us in celebrating Wilma Torretta in person or online

Saturday, January 7 ^th , 10:30 a.m.

Faith Community Fellowship

1427 Monte Vista Drive

Mount Vernon, WA

Online:

https://youtube.com/@fcfstreaming477

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in her name to either of her favorite organizations:

Ferndale FFA Boosters Scholarship

Ferndale FFA Boosters Club

P.O. Box 2132

Ferndale, Wa 98248-2132

Skagit Chorale

https://www.skagitvalleychorale.org/become-a-supporter