Waltraud "Wally" Wilkens

Waltraud “Wally” Muller Daudt Burrrage Wilkens Schneider was born in Brennen, Ostpreusen, Kreis Johannisburg, Germany. The family later lived in Wolfenbuttel in northern Germany. She died on Thursday, September 12. She was 74. The memorial service is on Monday, September 16th at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at Maryville Nursing Home at 14645 SW Farmington Rd. in Beaverton. Friends are invited to attend and share memories. She owned Edelweiss Flower Shop on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway for 30years. She is survived by daughter, Kathy Oliver, and other family members in Oregon, Washington and Germany, as well as a large bouquet of friends. Wally’s parents were Walter Muller who was born in Berlin, and Auguste Ida Brozio Muller. Her father died at 28 years of age of a heart attack. By that time, they had two boys, Erhard, born on July 16, 1934, and Artur, born in 1936. (Both brothers have preceded Wally in death.) Wally was born in 1938, three months after her father’s death. This was during war time, and the family had to move first to Pommern, and then Wolfenbuttel to escape the Russian invasion. They went to Wolfenbuttel because Wally’s mother’s sister and brother-in-law lived there. This was in about 1944. Life was a struggle. Many times the children at 8, 10 and 12 had to walk miles to beg for or steal food. About 11 years after Wally’s father died, her mother married Herr Strauch who worked for the post office. He also had three children. Wally was confirmed on 22 March 1953 at the age of 14. At about the same time, she left school to work as a cook. On 13 August, 1955 when Wally was only 16, Wally’s mother died of breast cancer that had spread to her brain. Auguste was only 46. Wally worked at many different jobs to pay for her own room. She met a woman, Frau. Lehman, who became like a second mother to Wally. She helped her find better working conditions. On a vacation trip to the Rhine, Wally met Mrs. Daubt who lived in America. Wally asked how she could get to America. Both Mrs. Daubt and Mrs. Lehman helped Wally arrange her trip. Wally arrived in New York on April 13, 1957. She stayed in New York overnight before flying to Boise, Idaho where she was met by Mrs. Daubt and her 33-year-old son, Raymond. Wally stayed with them, and after a short time, Raymond asked Wally to marry her. They were married in June 1957. Two years later, on January 4, 1959, daughter, Kathleen (Kathy) was born. They lived in Payette, Idaho. On 29 August, 1961, Wally became an American citizen. Raymond, Wally and Kathy moved to Nyssa, Oregon in about 1965 so Raymond could start his own business, a body shop. Wally helped in the business, worked at various jobs and studied English. Wally and Raymond were divorced on May 12, 1967. On September 15, 1967 in Ontario, Oregon, Wally married Leonard F. Burrage III, who was born on April 9, 1918. They lived in Renton and Kent, Washington. Leonard died on June 22, 1972. He was only 54. He had been a Captain in the U.S. Navy and worked for Emery Air Freight at the time of his death. Wally stayed in Kent for a short time, and moved to the Portland, Oregon area in late 1972. It was shortly after that time that she started in the flower business. She opened her shop, Edelweiss, on Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. On March 27, 1976, Wally married John Francis Wilkens who was born on April 28, 1903. They lived in Hillsboro, and Wally cared for John until his death on September 17, 1980. John had been a filbert grower in Washington County. Wally was a very busy person. In addition to running her flower shop, she traveled extensively to Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Mexico, Alaska and several other states. She was generous in many ways, especially with flowers for friends and family alike. In the mid-1990s, Wally met Hans Hermann Schneider of Kronberg im Taunus, Germany. He was in Portland visiting his daughter, Anna. Hans was born on 18 April, 1927 in Zullchow, Kreis Randow, Germany. Hans and Wally spent many of their years together laughing, dancing, traveling, and enjoying good times with family and friends. They were married in Oregon on January 9, 1999. Sadly, Hans died in Germany of cancer on November 3, 2001. Wally was with him at the end. Wally closed her flower business in 2003 or 2004. She continued to work in the flower business though, as mentor to Lourdes deSilva, owner of Main Street Florist in Beaverton. They worked side by side until Wally became ill in 2009. Wally had breast and ovarian cancer surgery in July, 2009. Thereafter, she was unable to live on her own and moved to Park Place Assisted Living in Portland near Washington Square. As her health improved, she would take daily walks to look at homes and gardens in the area. Until just before her last hospitalization, she was walking four or five miles a day, often talking to property owners along her route. Wally moved to Maryville Nursing Home in Beaverton in mid-August and was under loving hospice care until her death on September 12, 2013. This biography was done by MaryLou Scheidt on 9/15/13 based on Wally’s records.