Nell C Wilson

Nell was born to a loving family in the rural community of Salem in Montgomery County, Tennessee. She was welcomed by her parents Lucian Homer Coke and Oma Nola Ryan Coke, and her brother and sister, Lewis and Mildred.

Nell spent her childhood and youth in a small community called Barren Plains, near Springfield, Tennessee. Her father farmed and her mother managed home and family. Nell was a good student and a high school basketball player. A fond memory of her youth was the surprise gift of a horse from her father. The two rode in a pickup truck to get the horse. Nell rode the horse home as her father followed slowly in the truck.

Nell grew up in a family of active Methodists. At age 13, she made the personal decision to join the community Baptist church, influenced by a friend’s faith, church camps and Sunday activities that she enjoyed being part of. Her parents supported her completely. Her choice and faith influenced and steered her for a lifetime.

After high school graduation in 1945, Nell enrolled in Tennessee College for Women and eventually transferred to Cumberland College. At Cumberland, she met Bob Wilson, a young man who had returned from Army service in World War II. They fell in love at Cumberland. Bob graduated before Nell and moved to Fort Worth to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After Nell graduated from Cumberland, they married on August 25, 1949. As newlyweds, they moved to Fort Worth where Bob was attending school. Nell and Bob’s commitment to Christian service led to positions in churches in Tennessee, Missouri and Texas. They were married for 57 years until Bob’s death in 2006.

Nell was a school teacher. She loved her many years of service in public and private schools. Third graders were her love and they loved her back. Nothing pleased her more than to run into a teenager who gave a hug to his or her third-grade teacher.

Nell was a friend. Over the years she shared and collected the love and following of many neighbors, colleagues, church members, and sweet residents, staff and caretakers at Presbyterian Village North and Joyce Hall.

Nell was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her clan of 24 descendants—her children, Carolyn, David and Richard, her five grandchildren, Bart, Beth, Brad, Claire and Ellen, children-in-law, Harold, Frank, Julie, Tommy and Elicia, and 11 great-grandchildren, Anna, Abby, Alex, Andrew, Austin, Caroline, Sarah Kate, Will, Jackson, Benjamin and Jude. She also had three nieces from her sister Mildred—Kay, Elaine and Amy.

Nell was comforted and loved in her final days by her family, by the residents and staff of Joyce Hall, by the team at Faith Presbyterian Hospice and by the caretakers of Tessa Sterling Love N Care.

Nell was born to a loving family and she was returned to God by a loving family of everyone who surrounded her.

Nell served as a representative to the Presbyterian Village North Foundation Board.

Please consider a donation to honor all who make PVN the home Nell cherished for 16 years.