Dorothy Waters Wilson, wife of Robert Godfrey Wilson, M.D., died on January 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. She was born on June 1, 1934, in Columbus, Georgia. She was preceded in death by her father, Vernon Clarence Waters; her mother, Minnie Lee Phurrough Waters Speight; her step-father, David Speight; her sister, Marion Waters Barrow; and her brother-in-law, Bobby Barrow. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Robert Wilson, and children: Amy Lucille Kirchoff (Thomas), Lucy Elizabeth Wilson, and Robert Darwin Wilson and Robert Woodridge Wilson II (Woody and Angelica). She leaves ten grandchildren, one great granddaughter, a brother, James Waters and his wife, Marjean; and four nephews: Brantley Barrow (Sharon), Richard Barrow (Harriet), Jamie Waters (Karen), and Jeff Waters (Dawne).
Mrs. Wilson graduated from Columbus High School in 1952. On August 8, 1952, she gave a graduation piano recital after having studied for several years with her teacher, Helen Crowder. In 1956 she graduated from Huntington College in Montgomery, Alabama, with a B.A. Degree in piano and English. In April 1956, she performed a graduation piano recital at Huntington.
Mrs. Wilson was awarded a teaching fellowship to Auburn University and taught remedial English at Auburn while studying for her Masters of Arts Degree from Auburn in 1959. The title of her thesis was “An Aristotelian Criticism of the characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Four Major Novels.”
During 1957-1961, Robert, her husband studied for his M.D. at the Medical College of Alabama in Birmingham. While she lived there, Dorothy taught English night classes at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and taught daytime English classes at Jones Valley High School for 10th and 11th grade students.
Dorothy was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church from 1968-2013 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Until 1980, Dorothy served as church pianist at Wesley. After having studied organ for several years with Dr. Virginia Reese at Oklahoma Baptist University, in 1980 Mrs. Wilson became the organist at the local Christian Science Church. She served as organist there for 20 years. While living in Shawnee, Mrs. Wilson served as Campfire leader and Cub Scout Den Mother at the local school. She also taught Sunday School at Wesley Church in Shawnee. During her years in Shawnee, Mrs. Wilson found homes for numerous cats and dogs.
In 2013, Dorothy and Robert moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. While there, they were members of Trinity United Methodist Church. They lived in Tuscaloosa until December 2022, at which time they moved to Medford, Massachusetts to be near their youngest daughter, Lucy. After spending a few months in Medford, Dorothy and Robert moved to be near their oldest daughter, Amy, in Richmond, Virginia. In September 2024, she traveled along with Robert to live near her youngest son, Woody, and passed in Santonio, Texas on January 29, 2025.
Funeral Services will be held at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 4071 Macon Road, Columbus, Georgia on Saturday, February 15th, beginning at 11:00 a.m.. Following the Service the burial will be at Parkhill Cemetery, 4161 Macon Road, Columbus, Georgia. There will be a reception for guests following the burial at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation South Texas Chapter, 506 E. Ramsey, Suite 3, San Antonio, TX 78216.
