Class of 1966
1966 Maroon Spotlight
Gwen Sinclair
Red Hots ’63-’66, Red Hots Pres. ’64-’65, ‘B’ Team Cheerleader ’64-’65, ‘A’ Team Cheerleader ’65-’66, Student Council ’64-’65, Annual Staff ’64-’65, F.T.A. ’63-’66, Jr. Play Comm. ’64-’65, Sr. Play Comm. ’65-’66.
1966 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
Gwendolyn Jane (Gwen) Sinclair, 18, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Max Sinclair. She was born Dec. 20, 1947, in Stillwater, and attended school there through the third grade, when the family moved to Perry. She has been a cheerleader since 1964 and was president of the Red Hots pep club last year. She also was a member of the student council and annual staff last year, and has been in the Red Hots and Future Teachers of America since 1963. She is a member of the Thespians. Miss Sinclair was a member of the committee for her junior and senior class plays. English is her favorite subject, and hobbies are bowling and drawing. She plans to attend Northern Oklahoma college and later to enter Central State to major in speech therapy.
Gwendolyn Jane (Sinclair) Wilburn
December 20, 1947 – December 9, 2022
Gwendolyn Jane Wilburn, 74, a Stillwater resident, went to her heavenly home, December 9, 2022, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
She was born December 20, 1947, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the daughter of Max and Zola (Bilyeu) Sinclair. Gwen grew up in Perry, Oklahoma, where she attended Perry High School, was a cheerleader, and graduated in the class of 1966. She later went on to attend Northern Oklahoma College, taking classes before transferring to Oklahoma State University where she met the love of her life, Kenneth Wilburn.
Ken and Gwen were united in marriage on January 12, 1968, at the First Baptist Church in Perry. They were blessed with two daughters, Tara and Cassie.
Gwen loved her work where she was the interim director and manager for the National Headquarters of Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma for 22 years.
After moving to Independence, Kansas, in 1998, Gwen became the President/CEO of the Independence Chamber of Commerce. She was involved in, and led, many city events and fundraisers. She was instrumental in the progress of downtown Independence and the business community. Gwen enjoyed working for the Chamber where she met and befriended many city leaders, state leaders, and celebrities for more than 13 years before her retirement in 2010.
During Gwen’s retirement, she loved to do crossword puzzles, decorate, and spend time with her family. Gwen also loved to collect Santas over the years. She was an amazing woman who was full of life, had an infectious laugh, and a heart of gold.
Survivors include her husband of the home, Kenneth Wilburn; children, Tara Wilson and husband Todd of Charleston, South Carolina, and Cassie Wilburn Hansen of Stillwater, Oklahoma; her siblings, Bob and wife Sherry of Colorado, Rick Sinclair of Texas, Ron and wife Kimberly of Stillwater, Oklahoma; her grandchildren, Bailey, Kristian and husband Marshall Chapman, Reese, Chloe, and Rylee; one great-grandchild, Rhett Lloyd Chapman; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Joyce Schulze.