Wilma Jean Scalf

Scalf, Wilma Jean Robinson passed away June 2, 2016, peacefully in her home, surrounded by family, after a ten year battle with Alzheimers disease. She was born September 23, 1930, the oldest of four siblings, to Thomas and Virginia Robinson in the coal mining town of Webster Springs, West Virginia. Jeannie, as her friends referred to her, moved to Louisville, KY after high school, to pursue a career in nursing at Louisville General Hospital where she met her husband and life partner, Russell, a student in medical school at the University of Louisville at the time. After a successful career as the head operating room nurse at Louisville General, she started a family and retired from the hospital. Jeannie treasured young children and wanted to help assure their educational success in life, therefore she started a tutorial program at Stonestreet Elementary School, to teach pre-school and elementary aged school children how to read. She loved to banter in politics, serving for many years as an election poll worker and also as a past president of the Kentucky Republican Women’s Club. Jeannie thoroughly enjoyed athletics as an avid Big Blue fan of Kentucky basketball and football. She took great pleasure in gardening, canning, cooking, and celebrating holidays with her family. Her favorite times on this earth were spent traveling to Africa, Rome, all over the United States, and to the North Pole, but especially to the wilds of Canada where she spent many vacations, happily in a fishing boat, with friends and family, catching walleye. She is survived by her beloved husband and soul mate of 63 plus years, Dr. Russell F. Scalf. She also leaves behind daughter, Robin Scalf Shope (Frank) of Nashville, TN; son, Russell F. Scalf, Jr. (Cindy) of Indianapolis, IN; four wonderful grandsons, Lt. Taylor Shope (Krystal), Connor Shope, Mitchell Shope, and Russell F. Scalf, III; and one great grandson, Lucas Shope. Visitation will be at Owen Funeral Home, 5317 Dixie Highway, Louisville, KY, Sunday from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Monday. Jeannie will be laid to rest at a private graveside service to be attended by family. The family wishes to thank the compassionate Louisville Hosparus team who helped care for her during her illness and ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made at https://www.hosparus.org/donate.