Willdean Louise Buchanan, of Hopkinsville, passed away Sunday, February 23, 2025, at Jennie Stuart Medical Center. She was born on February 17, 1934, to Leonard Elmer and Athel Floyd Wiggins Sills in Model, TN.
Louise had worked at Hopkinsville Sign Co. for several years before becoming a partner in Hopkinsville Sign Service. She was a University of Ky alumni and had also attended Austin Peay St. University. She had been a substitute teacher in the Christian Co., Trigg Co., and Fort Campbell School systems. She had also been a substitute postmaster at Herndon.
Louise had been a member and officer of the former Professional Secretaries, Intl. She had been a volunteer with the Retired Senior programs. She and her husband, Marvin, had been members and officers of the former Pennyrile Horse Club and had participated in horse shows and enjoyed trail rides. They had also been members of the former Pennyrile Wing Riders motorcycle club and went on several long-distance motorcycle rides. They enjoyed traveling all over the United States and Canada, including British Columbia, and spending winters in Arizona, South Texas, and Florida.
Most recently, Louise enjoyed participating on a senior bowling league at Southern Lanes Bowling Center. She was a member of the Locust Grove Homemakers Club.
She especially loved to sing and performed publicly for the first time at five years old. While in elementary school, she would sometimes play the guitar and sing for other students. As a young teenager, she sang with the Model Junior Quarter on radio station WNBS in Murray, Ky on Sunday afternoons. She was currently leader of the Fellowship Choir which sang at nursing homes and at Chapel House.
Louise was a former member of the United Methodist Church where she was a trustee, a member and officer of the administrative board, and a member and officer of the United Methodist Women serving on the local and district levels. She sang in the choir, taught Sunday Schoo,l and led Bible studies. She was an active member in recent years at the Locust Grove Baptist Church in Christian County.
Preceding Louise in death in addition to her parents were her former husband, Alford Thomas Hancock; her second husband, Marvin Sherdell Buchanan; paternal grandparents, Lemuel and Virginia Spiceland Sills; maternal grandparents, Rev. J.T. Wiggins and Eller Parker Wiggins; step-grandmother, Maude Emerine Wiggins; an infant brother Floyd Paul Sills; her sisters, Ruby Outland and Frances Lacy; and infant step-grandchild, Roy Whitaker Brame.
Surviving are her daughters, Sharon Teresa Fritz and Melissa (Dave) Davis; stepson, Gerald (Cathy) Buchanan; five grandchildren, Billy Tom Myers, Cindy (Troy) Sumner, Madison (Kevin) Truex, Drew (Erin) Davis, Kathryn Davis; one step-granddaughter, Mary Lynn (Nathan) Brame; five great-grandchildren, Christopher Sumner, Layton (Te) Sumner, Colton Sumner, Brooke Truex, Lila Truex; 3 step-great-grandchildren, Kaylin Truex, Bo Brame, Charleston Brame; and two great-great-grandchildren, Miles Sumner and Kiersley Sumner.
Friends and family are invited to her memorial service to be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Locust Grove Baptist Church, 1787 Locust Grove Rd, Hopkinsville.
Memorials may be made to the donor’s choice.
Goodwin Funeral Home, 138 Main Street in Cadiz, is in charge of the arrangements.
