Person:Elizabeth Keating (2)

Elizabeth Elaine (Keating) Wonderly Dec. 10, 1922 -- May 28, 2006

Elizabeth was born in Ballville Township, near Fremont, on Dec. 10, 1922, and unexpectedly passed away on Sunday.

Liz was raised in Fremont. After her high school graduation, she worked as an accountant and as clerk in the Sandusky CO Courthouse until she enlisted in the United States Navy. She served from December 1944 through February 1946.

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She decided to move to Long Beach, Calif., and enrolled in Long Beach City College, majoring in accounting. During this time, she met her future husband, Donald William Wonderly. Ironically, Liz and Don's childhood hometowns in OH were 11 miles from each other, but they did not meet until both moved to Long Beach to join relatives and escape the cold winters in OH. Don was working for his uncle in Bakersfield, therefore Liz moved to Bakersfield in August 1948 and also went to work for Meadow Construction.

They married on Oct. 1, 1948, and Liz became Mrs. Donald Wonderly. They built their home in Rosedale in 1950 and Liz began her life as wife and mother. She was very active in the Rosedale community until her death. She served as a room mother for her children and a Cub Scout Leader. One of her biggest contributions to the community and a major part of her life was her involvement in the Kern CO 4-H Program. "Mrs. Wonderly" was the Community Leader of Greeley 4-H Club for 27 years and remained a Leader in the 4-H Program until her death (42 years). Many children learned sewing, canning and leather craft at the Wonderly home, including her grandchildren. Watching her grandchildren carry on the family tradition of participating in the 4-H Program was one of her proudest accomplishments. Liz served as a Kern CO Elections Supervisor-Inspector in the Rosedale precinct for many years. In fact, she was scheduled to work the upcoming June election. She also participated in oil painting classes at Community House where she also volunteered her time as an Income Tax Assistant, helping other members with their tax preparations.

Liz was preceded in death by her parents, Charles F. and Lucy (Strausbaugh) Keating, her children, Jimmy and Pamela, and her siblings, Patrick, Tom and Charles.

Liz is survived by her husband of 58 years, Donald, and their children and grandchildren, William, his wife Sharon and their daughters, Melissa Fachin (husband Ryan) and Jennifer, Thomas, his wife Judy and their sons Bryan and Darren, Donald Jr., his wife Kelly and their sons, Andrew and Patrick (wife, Jessica), Karen Cooper, her husband Willie and their sons, John and Michael of Eagle Point, Ore., and Michael, his wife Cindy and their children, Monique, Morgan and Matthew, and her sisters, Shirley Keating and Mary Lou Smith.

Daughter Karen will miss receiving her weekly packages; the entire family will miss the never ending supply of candy on the kitchen counter. But most of all, "Mom" and "Grandma" will be greatly missed, but her powerful influence will be with us always. She instilled in her children the virtue of working hard and taking care of their families. Therefore, without a doubt, she's up there now feeling proud of her accomplishments as she is watching her family pull together to take care of "Dad" and take care of business!

Visitation: 2 to 9 p.m. today at the Hopson-Anspach Mortuary Chapel in Bakersfield, Calif., with a Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6 p.m.

Services: Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. Francis of Assisi. Interment immediately following at Union Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Liz's grandsons: Bryan and Darren Wonderly, Andrew and Patrick Wonderly, John and Michael Cooper, Ryan Fachin and Matthew Wonderly.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Her obituary.