Willie Mae Wigley Schoeber

In Loving Memory of

Willie Mae Wigley Schoeber January 8, 1939 – January 25, 2026

Early Sunday morning, January 25, 2026, our family said goodbye to our beautiful Mother and Mimi, Willie Mae Wigley Schoeber. Born on January 8, 1939, she was the beloved daughter of Bertha Mae Keith Wigley and William Wigley.

Shortly after Christmas, she was hospitalized with pneumonia, and soon after came the devastating diagnosis of small‑cell lung cancer. Though her body was weakened, her courage never faltered. She faced every moment with the quiet strength, grace, and resilience that defined her life. She truly was a marvel of steady, gentle strength.

Family was her world, her joy, and her purpose. She loved her family fiercely and completely, never needing a wide circle beyond those who filled her home and heart. Nothing made her happier than being surrounded by her husband, children, grandchildren, great‑grandchildren, and the many bonus family members who joined the fold over the years.

It is nearly impossible to convey how special she was to our large, extended family, how deeply she connected with each of us. She never missed a birthday or special occasion. Outrageously sharp, endlessly thoughtful, and steadfastly loving, she embodied the very best of what it means to be a matriarch.

Among her favorite family traditions were the annual Summer and Thanksgiving beach trips. Whether she actually loved the beach remains a family mystery, but what she did love was the meaning behind those trips: a full week with her entire family together, laughing, cooking, talking, and simply being close.

After a hard and exhausting battle at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, MS, she was brought home on Saturday evening so she could pass peacefully. We are profoundly grateful she was able to spend her final hours in the place she loved most, surrounded by the people she loved most, and with her loyal dog, Poppy, by her side.

We are heartbroken, overwhelmed, and still trying to grasp a world without her in it. We don’t know how to imagine life without our Mother and Mimi. Right now, it feels impossible. We ask that you hold in your prayers her 95‑year‑old husband, who begins this unimaginable journey. This is a deeply difficult time for him, and for all of us who loved her so dearly. We are grateful for the prayers, love, and kindness so many have already offered. We feel them, and they mean more than we can express.

Mae was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved sister, Bettye J. Donald; and her grandsons, Gabriel Allen Niskala and Benjamin Stuart.

She is survived by her husband, William Reed Schoeber; her children; James Kenneth Wolverton (Scarlett Wolverton), Cynthia Wolverton Price (Todd Price), William Mitch Wolverton (Mary Wolverton), Candice Schoeber Brewster, and Kimberly Schoeber Niskala (Brion Niskala); her sister Janette Gillon; 12 grandchildren; 17 great‑grandchildren; and the many loving spouses and extended family members who adored her.

A simple family graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, January 28 at Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery in Ridgeland, MS. A Celebration of Life will be announced in the coming weeks. It takes time to plan a celebration worthy of someone who touched so many lives in such a monumental way.

Pallbearers: Chase Wolverton, Zach Wolverton, Tanner Wolverton, Barret Brewster, Parker Brewster, Brion Niskala, Chris Foster, and Evan Moore.

Though our hearts are shattered, we give thanks for every moment we had with her. Her legacy of love, thoughtfulness, humor, strength, and fierce devotion will continue to guide us all.

We will carry her with us, always.