- Date Of Birth: May 1, 1943
- Date Of Death: December 3, 2022
- State: Colorado
Wilma Joyce Burnham (Rubash), 79, of Woodland Park, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 3, 2022 while surrounded by family.
Wilma is survived by her husband of 58 years, Arvid Burnham. She is also survived by her daughters Lynette (Dan) Olson and Yvonne (Sean) Goings, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, brother Bobby (Sharon) Rubash, sister Myrna (Karlin) Wyse, and brother Jimmy Rubash. Wilma was preceded in death by her brother Billy Rubash and her parents Arthur and Evelyn Rubash.
Wilma was born on May 1, 1943 in Wickenburg, Arizona to Arthur and Evelyn Rubash. After graduating from Wickenburg High School in 1961, she attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff earning a degree in Education with an emphasis in physical education.
Wilma met Arvid during college and they started a romance that turned into 58 years of marriage. Their love story tells of commitment, compromise, joy, adventure, trial, and hope. Arvid and Wilma took on the world as they lived in Pensacola FL, Long Beach, CA, Colorado Springs, and finally settled in Woodland Park. They worked together to build a home, a business, and a family. Their unselfish love leaves a legacy of grace, compassion and aspiration. Wilma’s ability to love unconditionally supported not only a strong marriage, but grew a cohesive family.
Wilma took great pride in being a wife, mom, grandma, and great-grandma. She taught her daughters how to live with grace and grit as they journeyed through life and built their own families. Wilma was strong, compassionate, loving, intuitive, caring, and brave. She made sure that her daughters understood the importance of all of those. Wilma’s bright blue eyes lit up when she was with her grandkids and great-grandkids. She took them on countless adventures, taught them to cook, play, compete, and love. Most importantly, she taught them the importance of family.
Wilma positively influenced the lives of countless children through her 32 years in education. Twenty-0ne of those years were spent teaching and coaching at Woodland Park Middle School where she empowered students to dream big, challenge themselves, become champions and never quit. Her colleagues remember her as kind, funny, intelligent, strong, and innovative. Former students share that Mrs. Burnham was the best teacher they ever had. She listened to them, held them accountable, played with them, and above all, loved them. Wilma earned a master’s degree while teaching at WPMS and catapulted the Physical Education department into the future with her newly acquired knowledge. Her legacy lives on through everyone she influenced at Woodland Park School District.
Wilma welcomed all into her home and her heart. She was always ready with a meal, a story, a joke or a good piece of advice. She led her life with joy, kindness, love and humor. She loved to dance, laugh, cook, and was always up to hosting a big event. Her life left an impact that positively influenced our entire community. Her legacy of kindness and strength will live on through the many lives she touched.
