Wanda Chritton

Wanda Lee Weatherford was born October 31, 1933 in the West Plains area. She was the only daughter of Pearl and Nova Weatherford, and was raised with three brothers on a farm near Siloam Springs, Missouri. She passed away on September 6, 2025, at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her children and their spouses by her side. She was 91 years old.

Wanda graduated from West Plains High School in 1951, and moved to St. Louis to work as a secretary. Two years later, she married Bill Chritton, Jr., also of West Plains. They first met at a softball game between their one-room schoolhouses. Bill was pitching, and Wanda hit the winning home run. (He never got over it).

 

Bill had been drafted into the U.S. Army two years before they got married. Over the next 28 years, they moved 24 times, living in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, as well as three years in Italy. They settled for the final decade of his career in Springfield, Virginia, where Bill worked at the Pentagon and in the Office of Congressional Liaison. While Bill was serving his country, Wanda was holding down the fort at home—no easy task with four children who were only six years apart in age.

 

After Bill’s retirement in 1980, the couple returned to West Plains, where they operated a strawberry farm for several years. In the late 1980’s, Wanda took her first ride in a hot-air balloon. She had so much fun, Bill bought the balloon. Bill already was a licensed pilot. Wanda studied and trained, and earned her pilot’s license at the age of 55. Over the next few years, they took hundreds of area residents on balloon rides.

 

In 1985, Bill and Wanda, along with a handful other area residents, bought a helicopter and started an air ambulance service, based West Plains. Bill was their original chief pilot and director of operations, and later became company president. When Air Evac Lifeteam was sold in 2004, it had 41 bases in fourteen states.

 

When Bill retired from Air Evac, Wanda decided it was time to get out of the house. In July 2004, at the age of 70, Wanda offered to help her daughter run a wine store and cafe she had just purchased. Wanda soon took over the full-time management of Grapevine Wine Store and Cafe. She loved talking with customers and helping them pick out bottles of wine. She acquired a great deal of knowledge about wine and developed a refined palate. (Bill complained because she no longer would drink his homemade wine.) She finally took off her boss-hat at the age of 86 to be a caregiver to Bill, and to play an occasional game of golf.

 

She remained by Bill’s side until he passed in July 2021, after 67 years of marriage. In April 2025, Wanda surprised her family by moving, at 91, to Las Vegas, Nevada, where her eldest son Mike lived. Her youngest daughter, Toni, lived with her as caregiver. In July, Wanda suffered a fall that left her with a fractured neck and spine. Though she initially seemed to be recovering, she developed an infection that led to pneumonia.

Wanda is survived by two of her four children, Mike Chritton (Sonia) of Las Vegas, and Toni Johnson (Dennis) of West Plains, along with her brothers Dale, Jerry and Raymond Weatherford. She also leaves behind six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents; her son, Dan Chritton; and her daughter, Vicki Chritton-Myers.

 

Her family will always remember her as an intelligent, witty, feisty, unselfish and dedicated mother who always put the needs of her family before her own needs. She was a physically and mentally strong woman who met challenges head-on and was never afraid to tackle a difficult task or learn something new. She taught her children that they could accomplish just about anything they set their mind to doing. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

 

In accordance with her wishes, Wanda was cremated. The family will gather for a brief graveside service at Mt. Zion cemetery at 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the memorial celebration. Friends are warmly welcome to attend.