Wanda Mae (Webb) Fast, who lived in Pacific Palisades for 63 years, died on February 24 in Novato after a 10-year descent into Alzheimer’s disease. She was 93. Wanda was born on June 10, 1914 and is described by her daughter-in-law, Jean, as ‘a simple farm girl from Angola, Indiana, with about the biggest heart you’d ever see. I admired her skill at making and keeping friends. There were always groups in her home. Wanda taught me a lot about being a wife, a woman and a mother.’ In 1930, Wanda met Chris Fast. Her older brother, Lyle Webb, had an interest in aviation, which naturally led him into a friendship with Chris, whose love for building and flying airplanes was well known all over Angola. But it was Lyle’s little ‘jitterbug’ sister, Wanda, who really caught Chris’ eye. While Wanda attended nurse’s training in Fort Wayne, Chris would shuttle her home on weekends. One time in the winter he ran out of gas. They had to make an emergency landing on a frozen lake. A local farmer, amused by the flyboy’s stunt, was happy to give him some gas, and they were again on their way. Not long after becoming a registered nurse and marrying Chris in 1936, Wanda got Chris to trade his wings for the latest set of ‘Chevy’ wheels, and they headed off cross-country to start a new life together in Pacific Palisades. They had five children and were longtime members of the community’s Calvary Church. One of the many highlights of Wanda’s life was a visit with church members to Israel, where she was baptized in the Jordan River. With her strong Christian faith and kind, easy-going nature, she befriended and mothered many of her friends and acquaintances. When Wanda and Chris celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the Aldersgate Retreat Center in 1996, Wanda shared several of her simple secrets to a long and happy life. She first joked that ‘blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken.’ Then on a more serious note, she said: ‘First of all, you need to believe in God and try to be the person He wants you to be; second, you have to have love for your fellow man; third, encourage everybody; fourth, be honest; and fifth, be a true friend.’ Wanda was preceded in death by her husband Chris and two sons, Dennis and Ronald. She is survived by three children, Christine Fast of Novato; Brian Fast (wife Jean) of Albany, New York; and Kathleen Oba (husband Graig) of Fullerton; and four grandchildren: Melia, Erik, Amy and Gary. A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Calvary Church, 701 Palisades Dr.
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