Elizabeth Mary (Cossma) Wylie

On May 23, 2020, Elizabeth Mary Wylie, loving wife, mother to two beautiful daughters, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away in the comfort of her home at the age of 85. Elizabeth was born on October 19th, 1934 in a basement apartment in Chicago, Illinois to Elizabeth Curtean Cossma and Zachary J. Cossma. She and her family started their lives on a farm in Coldwater, Michigan eventually making their way to Detroit, Michigan.  There Elizabeth attended Pershing High School (home of the Doughboys) and she was a Rainbow Girl; welcoming all girls from every religion. After graduating high school in “1952” she went on to being a bookkeeper.

In 1956, Elizabeth moved to San Diego, CA, where she met and married her one and only true love, Willie “Bill” Clyde Wylie. He danced his way into her life at The College Inn in downtown San Diego. The two fully unified their love for each other on August 3rd, 1957, officially making her a Navy wife.

Navy life began in San Diego, California but soon she relocated to Riverside, California.  It was there Elizabeth gave birth to their first daughter, Gaye, while her husband Bill was out to sea. Upon his return they moved back to San Diego to be with her loving husband Bill. Their military career then took them to Hawaii where their second daughter Patricia was born. Navy life suited Elizabeth as she found a love for travel.  After the births of their children, their travels took them to Japan, Long Beach, California, another tour in San Diego, then on to Gig Harbor/Bremerton, Washington, and for a while to Guam. While stationed in Guam she was fortunate to take a vacation to Bangkok, Thailand to meet Bill during his deployment for a bit of RNR. While still stationed in Guam they were also able to take a family vacation to Hong Kong. Their next ventures took them to New Orleans, Louisiana then back to San Diego and Washington DC. Their final tour before retirement brought them back to Washington State to where the entire family had moved.

While living in Port Orchard Liz started a business being a Videographer. She filmed, edited, and set to music, weddings, anniversary’s, family reunions, birthdays and many other special occasions.

After becoming a widow she moved to Parkland where she enjoyed a very active life involved in many clubs and organizations such as SMW (Society of Military Widows), AREWS (Association of Retired & Enlisted Wives & Spouses), South Hill Singles, Lakewood Senior Players. She also enjoyed several hobbies such as machine embroidery, sewing, crochet, and most recently diamond painting. She also enjoyed bunco, canasta, and bingo at the club house where she lived. Retirement saw Elizabeth, her sister Lillian Whalin, and sister-in-law Carolyn Waldrip travel to Europe together; she even took a cruise ship along with Carolyn to Hawaii.

Elizabeth supported many charities throughout her life, such as American Cancer Society, ASPCA, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Foundation, St Jude’s, VFW, and Wounded Warrior Project.

Elizabeth was survived by her sister: Lillian J. Whalin; her two daughters Gaye and her husband John Foard, and Patricia Meyer; her two grandchildren: Michael and Alexis; and her five great grandchildren Karizma, Trinity, Serena, Wezley, and Terrance.

In remembrance of Elizabeth, and in lieu of flowers, please donate to one of her favorite charities.

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