Wilma louise Jones-Luke

Wilma was born on a blustery winter day, January 3, 1935, in her grandparent’s home owned by Henry and Gail Jones in King Hill, Idaho, to her parents Frank and Virginia Jones. It was the end of the depression and times were tough. Farmers were dumping their potatoes in the river since there was no way to sell them. That may have accounted for Wilmas’s stubborn, die hard way of attacking life. She wished to convey a grateful appreciation to her parents, who worked long hard hours, so she and her brother could attend college. “We knew, at an early age, about this goal and are eternally grateful for their vision.” Her parent’s deaths preceded her in 1982 and 1986.

She attended school in King Hill through her sophomore year and graduated from Glenns Ferry, Idaho High School in 1953. She obtained her BA, cum laude, in elementary education from the College of Idaho in 1957. Wilma was an educator who served in various roles for forty -three years. Some of her positions included, elementary teaching, elementary, junior high, and high school counselor and elementary principal. Her early teaching career began in Bakersfield and East Whittier, CA. Homesick for Idaho she returned in 1964 and began teaching at Monroe Elementary in Boise, Idaho. She completed her Masters of Education in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in counseling, from the College of Idaho in 1968. In 1974, while she was the principal at Monroe Elementary, she was selected, along with 24 other Rocky Mountain States principals, to receive a scholarship to earn her doctoral degree from the University of Colorado. In 1975,

she moved to Boulder, CO to complete her studies. During this time she interned in Longmont, CO for the National Diffusion Network as a facilitator of innovative programs developed and implemented in US schools. She was a founding member of Sopris West, an educational publishing company. She earned her Education Doctorate in 1979, and returned to Boise in 1982. She was a counselor at Boise High School from 1984-86. She left this position to become the Director of Graduate Studies at the College of Idaho from 1986-1993. She then became the principal of Central Elementary in Jerome, ID and retired in 1999.

Her greatest achievement was she and Alvin Luke (A.D.), a long time King Hill, Boise/Nampa friend, became a couple in 2008. She not only gained a husband, she also acquired five wonderful step children and their families. Dave and Dianne Luke, of Wasilla Ak, Jim and Sally Peterson, Oceanside, CA, Rob and Robin Luke, Carson City, NV, Marie Luke, Nampa, ID and Alan Luke, Boise, ID. Sadly, Alan passed away in 2010 and Robin in 2023.

A.D. and Wilma enjoyed traveling and spending time with friends. Since childhood, Wilma maintained her membership in the King Hill Community Presbyterian Church and was the church organist from 1982-1986 traveling each Sunday from Boise and Caldwell. She was called to be a deacon in 2018. A.D. passed away October 18, 2016 after an extended illness.

Wilma is survived by her brother Ken and sister-in-law Jan Jones, cousins Neal Jones and Dixie Peterson, Shirley Raner, Dave and Lori Stokes, Glen and Susan Stokes, stepchildren, Dave and Dianne Luke, Jim and Sally Peterson, Rob Luke, Marie Luke and Harry Burris and their families, and longtime friend and former North Junior High counselor Debbie Butter. She wished to thank ComForCare, especially Sandy, St. Luke’s Meridian and her health care team. Contributions may be made to the King Hill Community Presbyterian Church, King Hill, Idaho and the Southminster Presbyterian Church, Boise, Idaho.

Funeral service will be held Friday, June 13, 2025, 10 a.m. at Southminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 West Overland Rd, Boise, Idaho.