April 16, 1935 — May 30, 2023
Willa Mae (Jenkins) Dyment, 88, of Reading, MA, beloved wife of the late William E. Dyment, passed away on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at the Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading. Born in Glo, Kentucky, Willa is the loving daughter of the late William and Delila (Smith) Jenkins.
Willa was the proud mother of William Dyment, Jr., and his wife, Burnadean, Wendy Dyment, Amy Dyment, Beth Dyment Hughes, and her husband, Eric. She was also the cherished grandmother of Anna and William Hughes and William Henry Dyment. (And she would regularly brag about all of them to anyone who would listen!) She is one of six siblings, including her late brother, Jake Jenkins, and late sister, Sue Clark. She is survived by her beloved siblings Marie Collins, Betty Samons, and Doug Jenkins, as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.
Willa grew up in Kentucky and was a graduate of Wayland High School. After she graduated, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, where she earned her nursing degree at Grant Hospital School of Nursing. With just $100 (and lots of Faith!) in her pocket, Willa headed north to attend Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) in Quincy, MA. There she earned her second degree–a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing–while working as the college nurse. And it was in the ENC nurse’s office where a friendly wager over a flu vaccine led to a dinner date, a wedding, four children, and almost six decades of marriage.
After ENC, Willa enjoyed a long, enriching, accomplished career in nursing–all while raising four children. She spent most of her nursing career at Boston Regional Hospital (formerly New England Memorial Hospital) in Stoneham, MA. While there, she wore many nursing hats: floor nurse, head nurse, and even nursing instructor. However, Willa finished her career as a visiting nurse, caring for patients in the greater Malden community. Whether she was attending to patients, managing staff, or preparing future nurses, Willa was most fulfilled when she was in the service of others. Despite a career in giving orders, Willa took them quite well; she was often called one of the most compliant patients around!
It was Willa’s love for God that inspired her life of service beyond her career. For most of her life, she attended the First Church of the Nazarene in Malden, MA, with her family. Knowing the importance of serving a community that helped shape her, Willa volunteered in many capacities there. She served on the church board, taught Sunday School, led Bible studies, sang in the choir, and helped out with Vacation Bible School–just to name a few. However, her ministry went beyond the four walls of the church as well: Sunday afternoons in the summer meant Pool Party at the Dyment’s. She did all of this while working full-time and raising four children–and made it look easy.
Willa Lived Well because her Faith called for that–not because she needed the validation of others. In fact, despite all of her accomplishments, she shied away from the spotlight. Accordingly, to honor Willa’s final wishes of avoiding the “Big Hoopla” of a funeral, she will be honored in a small family graveside gathering.
Willa contributed to many ministries over the years, including the Reading Korean Church of the Nazarene. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation in Willa’s memory to the Korean Church of the Nazarene (900 Main St., Reading, MA, 01867). Checks should be made payable to KCON with the words “Willa Dyment Memorial” on the memo line.
