Wanda J. Gaskin, 91, of Carlisle, died Monday, February 8, 2010, at Thornwald Home, Carlisle. She was born on Sunday, August 4, 1918, in DuPont, PA, and was a daughter of the late Stanley and Sophia (Potocka) Rakowski and the widow of SFC. (Ret.) Joseph A. Gaskin, USA, who died Dec. 4, 1976.

Wanda earned her G.E.D. and was a homemaker. She was of Catholic faith and enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, reading, politics and spending time with her loving family. Wanda championed her son Joseph's efforts in ensuring his daughter Lydia's inclusive education and ground-breaking class action lawsuit in Federal Court, which opened doors for inclusive education for 250,000 student with I.E.P.'s. in Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by two brothers; Felix and Stephen Rakowski, two sisters; Bernice Vukmirovich and Lillian Rakowski and one son-in-law, Fred Lipton.

She is survived by three daughters: Dr. Felicia A. Gaskin, PhD (and her husband, Dr. Shu-Man Fu) of Charlottesville, VA; Lillian B. Gaskin, Esq. of Washington DC and Mary J. Gaskin, Esq. (and her husband, James Annelin) of The Woodlands, TX; one son, Joseph J. (and his wife, Karen) Gaskin of Carlisle; nine grandchildren: Kai-Ming Fu, Kai-Mei Fu, Alissa Lipton, Eric Lipton, Elisa Annelin, Moira Annelin, Quinn Annelin, Emily Sitch and Lydia Gaskin; six great-grandchildren: Gabrielle Fu, Abigail Fu, Isaac Preiner, Oscar Preiner, Calvin Sitch, Samantha Sitch and several nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, February 12, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. in the St. Patrick Catholic Church, 85 Marsh Dr., Carlisle with Rev. Olusola H. Adewole, OP as the celebrant. Burial will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. A viewing will held on Thursday from 7 - 8:00 p.m. in the Ewing Brothers Funeral Home, 630 S. Hanover St., Carlisle and where a prayer service will be held at 8:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, 152 E. Pomfret St., Carlisle, PA 17013.