D. Heide Ruegsegger and Edward Hunter

Wilma Fletcher was my godmother. She was a Sacramento native, a retired state worker, and an excellent cook. She was infectious laughter, fancy tea parties with her granddaughters, and bone-crunching hugs. She enjoyed listening to Motown, drinking gin martinis, and watching Denzel Washington walk. She beat anyone who was foolhardy enough to challenge her to a game of cards. She played golf but didn’t care to keep score. And she prayed. Yet Wilma was so much more than all of this.

She was fierce love. Watching her give so much of herself to her family and community, I learned that love is not a vain pastime, something you do simply because it feels good in the moment. Instead, to love one another, to serve one another, is vital for our very survival. Love is still a choice. But the choice isn’t about giving or withholding warm, fuzzy feelings. It is about strengthening someone enough to take the next step or choosing to let them fall.

This scholarship is funded by Heide (Wilma’s goddaughter) and Edward (Wilma’s beloved husband).