Rea R. Wilson

Rea Rae Hart was born on March 12, 1923 in Long Beach, California. She was a lifelong Californian. Rea attended Hollywood High and went on to Compton Junior College. She had completed her education by the age of 16. Immediately after college, she started her own dress shop business in Palm Springs, still only 16 years old. Rea married Robert M. Wilson on February 22, 1948. The two of them went on to own many business’s in the local area.

Rea was a lifelong, true, dedicated baseball fan. Her favorite team was the Dodger’s. Robert and she were season ticket holders for as long as anyone can remember. Rea’s love for the game of baseball wasn’t only spent on the Dodger’s. In 2000, at the age of 77, Rea visited every major league stadium in a cross country trip and met many of the General Managers, even Vince Skully. Rea chronicled her journey in a book that was published. It was called “Rea’s Baseball Trek, 2000” and actually is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Continuing her love of baseball, Rea was a volunteer for the Madre’s, the Padre’s support group that helps with various causes in the community but focusing on youth groups. She was a recipient of the 2001 Inaugural Award from the Baseball Reliquary in Pasadena (http://www.baseballreliquary.org/InductionDay2007_report.htm).

After the passing of her husband in 1993, she began her travels across the globe.

Rea is survived by her daughter, Pamela Rae Wilson-Willmore (Lee Willmore); granddaughter, Kathryn Erin Willmore; and great-granddaughter, Susan Rae Menkes.

Rea passed on July 5, 2012, while doing what she loved most, visiting friends and family in Iowa and Indiana.

In her memory, donations can be made to the Baseball Reliquary, P.O. Box 1850, Monrovia, CA 91017. Telephone (626) 791 – 7647, or The American Heart Association, www.goredforwoman.org.