Wanda Lou Honeycutt was welcomed into the world by her parents, Bonnie and Rachel Honeycutt, and her older siblings Kenneth, Evelyn and Nathan on December 6, 1931 in Nashville, Tennessee. She had a happy childhood playing with friends and paper dolls, and enjoying the love of her family.
While in the 7th grade math class, she met Walter Frederick Gillespie—and her heart did a flip! Though they both attended Cohn High School, and each was aware of the other, they did not begin to date until 1948, their senior year, when Wanda Lou invited Walter to a wienie roast. Their romance continued until Walter entered the military in 1951 and was sent to Germany.
Wanda stayed in Nashville and went to work at the Baptist Sunday School Board. When Walter was discharged in 1953, he returned to the United States and enrolled at Vanderbilt University on the GI Bill. A chance encounter on a Nashville street left Wanda Lou undone and certain that he was the only man for her! They were married at the Honeycutt home on July 17, 1954.
Before Walter graduated with an engineering degree in 1958, two daughters were added to their family: Lu Anne in 1955, and Nina in 1956. Walter accepted a job with Avco and moved their little family to Cincinnati, Ohio. Wanda became a devoted mother to their two preschoolers, and a friend to the neighbors in their apartment complex.
After a layoff, the family moved back to Nashville where their third child, Walter Frederick, Jr., was born in 1960. Just a few months later, Walter, Sr. accepted a job with NASA at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville as an aerospace engineer.
Wanda spent the next season of life making a wonderful home for her family and ministering to both friends and strangers through her deep faith in God; her loving, practical outlook; and her quick wit.
During this time she: learned to drive; volunteered at local schools and with the neighborhood garden club; became an accomplished cook; sewed beautiful clothes and costumes for her daughters; taught herself how to reupholster furniture, arrange flowers and make jewelry; learned to knit and crochet and blessed others with the bounty of her creations; deserved the title of “family champion” at croquet, Rook, Uno, Password, and Scrabble; enjoyed bowling and numerous word and jigsaw puzzles; made every Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s something anticipated and memorable for her extended family; travelled extensively in the continental U. S. and Canada with her family; taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, served on various committees, and faithfully gave wise counsel, a testimony of Christ, and much love to the folks at Bethany Baptist Church; survived having three teenagers at home; was a treasured sister, sister-in-law, cousin and daughter and daughter-in-law; cared for her aging parents with grace and humor;became a source of inspiration and encouragement to her many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and youth who appreciated her candor, understanding and empathy; civilized her husband through the bliss and storms of her 63 year marriage; raised three children to be responsible adults — without going insane; and enjoyed the benefits of being the “Queen” of her adoring family.
After a long life spanning 86 years, Wanda heard her Saviour, Jesus Christ, calling her home to heaven. She went to Him with gladness and in peace on evening of January 7, 2018, leaving the embrace of her family here to be folded into His arms there.
In heaven, she will be reunited with her beloved parents; her brother Kenneth Honeycutt and sister Evelyn Kabana; her grandson Daniel Day; special cousin Juanita Berkeley; and many other “adopted” relatives by marriage, friendship and common faith.
Among the extended family who will be celebrating her life and mourning her absence is her husband, Walter F. Gillespie, Sr.; her daughter Lu Anne (and Mike) Handy; her daughter Nina (and Bill) Williamson; and her son Walter F. “Rick” Gillespie, Jr.; her grandchildren, Mark Ryan (and Jennifer) Day; Jeremy Jason (and Lauren) Day; Christopher (and Jen) Handy; Stephen (and Allison) Handy; Jennie (and Wade) Harlow; Sarah Williamson; and Rachel Williamson; and her great grandchildren: Rowan, Mallory and Lillian Day; Walter and Amelia Day; Lucy and Eliza Handy; Taylor and Samuel Handy; and Melody, Viviane and Gwendolyn Harlow; her brother Nathan Honeycutt of Cookeville, TN; her cousin Buddy (and Norma) Ragan of Nashville, TN; her nieces Cheryl Kabana Ross (and Bill) Haddock of Hampton, VA and Ellen (and Gene) Parker of Charlottesville, VA.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Berryhill Funeral Home followed by 1:00 service with Pastor Dennis Cleveland officiating. Burial will be at Valhalla Memory Gardens.
