Sarah "Evelyn" Wilder 82, of Columbia City, died peacefully at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester where she had been a resident since April of 2020.

Born February 17, 1940, in DeKalb County, Indiana, she was a daughter of the late Frank and Nola A. (Frey) Fulmer.  She completed elementary school at Newville and graduated from Riverdale High School in St Joe in 1958.

On June 2, 1962, she married William Clyde Wilder.  They have always made their home in Columbia City. For the last 20 years the couple wintered in Avon Park, Florida.

Early in her work career she did bookkeeping while living in Louisiana.  After her marriage, she worked several years for the Fort Wayne Newspapers in the accounting department. She found her passion in caring for others' children and established and operated a daycare from her home.

Through her life children were her focus, whether her own or others, she enjoyed nurturing them.  She enjoyed teaching Sunday school for ages 2 – 4 for many years.  When her grandchildren came along, they became her focus as she cared for and loved them so well.  Her greatest joy was her family and she loved being with all her great grandchildren too!

She was a member of the Columbia City Christian Church and the Tri-Kappa.

Surviving is her husband of 59 years, William; children Lisa M. (Matthew) Frank of Rochester and William "David" (Jennifer) Wilder of Columbia City; five grandchildren, Megan (Derrick) Fisher, Marcus (Jessica) Frank, Laura (Seth) Manns, Zachary (Stacy) Wilder, Emily (Curtis) Shoda; 12 great-grandchildren; sisters, A. Marie (John) Mathews of Temple, TX, Iva Ray of Fort Wayne and a brother, W. James (Dorothy) Fulmer of Auburn.

She was preceded in death by a sister Katheryn Moses, and a brother, Charles Fulmer.

The funeral service is 10 a.m. Thursday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.  Burial is at the Alton Park Cemetery near St Joe.  Visitation is 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials in Evelyn's honor are to Columbia City Christian Church.