WANDA HORTENSE (TRUITT) SEALS

Wanda Hortense (Truitt) Seals
Wanda Hortense (Truitt) Seals (Major, USAF, Retired) passed peacefully from this Earth on Friday, May 8, 2026 at her home in Columbus, Georgia. She was 81 years of age. Wanda was born September 22, 1944 in Lexington, Mississippi to Wordney Demaree Truitt and Pearl Mae Bevill Truitt.
Wanda was a graduate of Lexington (Mississippi) High School, class of 1962. She graduated from Holmes Junior (now Holmes Community) College in 1964, followed by her graduation from Mississippi State University in1966. After graduation, Wanda briefly taught high school math in Webb and Gulfport, Mississippi.
Wanda began her military career as a communications officer at the rank of second lieutenant in July, 1967 after completing Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Lackland AFB, Texas, and career training at Keesler AFB, Mississippi.
Her first duty assignment was Wheeler AFB, Hawaii where she served as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of Maintenance Analysis for the Pacific Communications (PACOM) Area and later as the chief of maintenance for the 1891st Communications Squadron.
In 1972, Major Seals was assigned to Randolph AFB near San Antonio where she coordinated the base level communications requirements for units of the USAF’s Recruiting Command and Air Training Command.
After Randolph, Major Seals was assigned as the commander of the 2129th Communications Squadron at Ching Chang Kang Air Base at Taipei, Taiwan. Her responsibilities there included not only the squadron commander position, but also other communications operating locations throughout Taiwan.
After Taiwan, Major Seals (then Captain) was assigned to the San Antonio area at the USAF’s Communications Security Center at Kelly AFB. As the chief of the Communications Security Programs Branch, she coordinated the budget and requirements of communications equipment supplied by the Department of Defense, National Security Agency and the Electronic Security Command.
Major Seals was next assigned to Ramstein AB, Germany with the Electronic Security Command. In this position, she coordinated the requirements, monitoring and surveillance of communications systems throughout Europe, on behalf of the USAF.
Major Seals’ last duty assignment sent her to Scott AFB, Illinois where she was assigned as the chief of the Maintenance Management Branch for Headquarters, Air Force Communications Command (AFCC). In this capacity, Major Seals developed and oversaw the overall policies for the maintenance of the Air Force’s communications equipment and systems.
Throughout her career, Major Seals was awarded medals for meritorious service, commendation, outstanding unit, national defense, overseas service and longevity. Additional special military education included the completion of the Air Command and Staff College, National Security Management, and a Master’s Degree. The assignments and duties listed above demanded Major Seals attain and maintain the highest level of security clearance awarded by the US government.
After retirement from the Air Force, Wanda provided contract
Work for the US Department of State for US embassies in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In 1995, Wanda served as a United Nations voting observer in Bishkek.
Returning to the states, Wanda settled in her beloved city of San Antonio, Texas where she enjoyed substitute teaching with the Northside Independent School District. In addition, Wanda actively participated with military organizations such as the Air Force Women Officers Association and the Women’s Overseas Service League. She served as a volunteer for the Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital and for the Lackland AFB Retiree Activity Center. Additionally, she served as an officer in her local chapter of Beta Sigma Phi.
For many years, Wanda has had a passion for travel, setting foot in over seventy countries while filling at least six passports with stamps. She spent countless hours sitting in air terminals with little more than a small suit case and an ID card, waiting to board an unscheduled flight (‘space A”) to her next unknown destination. Simple canvas cargo plane seats never deterred Wanda’s yearning to travel.
Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Marjorie, Sybil and Scarlett and by her brothers Roland and Eric. Left to share her memories are her sisters Dorothy Bailey and Cindi Price and brothers Randy, Roger and Dudley Truitt.
In accordance with her wishes, Wanda chose cremation as she leaves this world. Services and interment will be announced at a later time. Signed, Roger Truuitt, nominated executor of Wanda’s Estate. Photo by Glamor Shots. NNNN