Dates
On November 13, after more than 97 years of blessing all who knew her, Elene Wilson passed peacefully from this life to her heavenly home.
Elene Dora Wilson, the second of two children of Arch and Pansy Mae Rickabaugh, was born April 3, 1922 in Silver City, Iowa.
In 1938 Elene and her parents moved to San Angelo. Elene excelled in her classes at San Angelo High School and soon became friends with many of her classmates. Under Elene's picture in the yearbook, is the quote, "to know her is to love her, and love her forever."
After High School, Elene attended San Angelo College where her physical beauty was recognized when she was named most beautiful both years. According to entries in her annual, her outward beauty was minuscule compared to her beautiful spirit.
After college, Elene worked at the Presbyterian Church for Dr. Wood. Some speculate that Dr. Wood was playing matchmaker when he asked Ralph Wilson, who was traveling by train to join his Air Force regiment in Omaha, to "look after" Elene on the train as she traveled to visit her sister in Iowa. That trip was the beginning of a beautiful lifelong romance.
Elene and Ralph married March 15, 1946. By their fifth anniversary they had been blessed with three daughters. They celebrated 62 years of loving companionship before Ralph's death April 17, 2008.
After they married, Ralph attended SMU law school while Elene served as his unofficial legal secretary and research assistant. They continued their working relationship throughout their marriage. Elene served as his partner and kept the financial records for many of Ralph's business ventures.
Elene was a consummate seamstress. She enjoyed designing and sewing beautiful wardrobes for her daughters. The girls seldom attended an important event in "store bought" clothing. It wasn't until she gave up sewing to spend more time with Ralph that the girls truly recognized the blessing they had been given through Elene's skills as a seamstress. At eighty-eight, her final major sewing project was creating all the bedding, including curtains, lamp shade, blankets and sheets for her great granddaughter's nursery.
Elene's family grew with sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She loved each role and became affectionately known as Nannie. She blessed the second and third generation with her love, wisdom, humor, optimism, and strong Christian faith. Her family will cherish her memory and tell and retell Nannie stories enabling future generations to recognize a "nincapoot," how to "strip the poka," and the the need to "buckle up winsocky."
Left to treasure the many blessing bestowed upon them by Nannie are her daughters Barbie Dunagan and husband, Michael, Marilyn Wilson and fiancée, Truett Smith, Carolyn Nelson and husband Harold, nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Nannie loved her nine grandchildren unconditionally. She said many times holding them and watching them grow was a joy beyond words. In Nannie her grandchildren, Jeremy White and wife Sarah, Alice Hildebrand and husband, John, Ashley Gordon and husband Chris, Andrew Logan and wife, Robin, and Parker Dunagan saw a reflection of God's goodness and grace.
Her six great grandchildren, Mara and Emory White, Hannah and Hayden Hildebrand, Betsy Dan Gordon, and Walter Logan believed she was an angel on earth.
Also giving thanks for her legacy and gentle spirit are her many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, and many friends of all ages.
The family is forever grateful to Janice White, Elsa Cantu, and Lori Reyna who provided loving care to Elene the last 16 months of her life.
A celebration of Elene's life will be held at the First Baptist Church in San Angelo, on Friday, November 22, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Baptist Church, San Angelo Area Foundation, Hospice of San Angelo, or a charity of your choice.