Stephen Conly Wilson

Stephen Conly “Steve” Wilson, 60, beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away peacefully into God’s hands surrounded by his family on February 1, 2011. Steve was born November 15, 1950 in Wills Point, Texas to Billy Jack and Jane Wilson. He excelled at all sports and played football, basketball, track and baseball at Eastland High School. In 1968, Steve was awarded All-District, All-Area, All-State and Honorable Mention All-American High School Football Player. He graduated from Eastland High School in 1969. Steve continued in sports at Austin College where he played baseball and football. His coaches referred to him as “The Winning Grinner” because of his determination and dedication on the field. He earned his Bachelors degree and went on to earn his Masters degree from Austin College in Sherman, Texas in 1974.

Steve coached in Eastland for one year and then became a coach of the Taylor Ducks serving under coach Shirl Frazier, his former high school coach. In 1979, Steve became a State Farm Insurance Agent and his career spanned over 30 years. “Coach Steve” loved attending playoff games and talking sports with his friends. In his younger days, he enjoyed showing up at UT football games without tickets and buying and selling them at a profit and managing to get into the stadium with primo seats for Ellen and himself. Steve was a fan of all sports and continued to coach his children, Lauren and Kyle in T-ball, baseball, soccer and basketball. Some of his proudest moments were watching Kyle play sports and Lauren lead the Westwood Sun Dancers on the field. He was active in Town and Country and the Westwood Booster Club. He was a big supporter of his nieces’, nephews’, his kids’ and their friends’ activities whether it was dance recitals, cheerleading, sports events, band or choir concerts or nights on the roof. Steve was a big UT fan until Kyle enrolled at Texas Tech. Then he became a Red Raider all the way. Steve was a member of Triumphant Love Lutheran Church. In his retirement, Steve cherished his time with his granddaughter, Lexi Nicole, and their walks together and playing in the park. She loved her “PawPaw”. Steve enjoyed being around friends and family and will be remembered as a fun loving, caring and optimistic person that we will all miss. Steve is survived by his wife of 34 years, Ellen Darling Wilson; children, Lauren Wilson, Charlie Laughlin and Kyle Wilson; granddaughter, Lexi Nicole Laughlin, all of Austin; sisters, Sharon Duncan of San Antonio and Marie Kelly of Baird; Mother-in-law, Jeanelda Darling of Beaumont; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Susan and Ross Hill of Tulsa, Catherine and Kyle Bigler of Austin, Bill and Crissy Darling of Beaumont and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 12th of February 2011, at Triumphant Love Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers and the customary remembrances, the family requests memorials to the American Heart Association, www.heart.org or the Missy Project, www.themissyproject.org or the American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org or Triumphant Love Lutheran Church, 9508 Great Hills Trail, Austin, TX 78759. Following the service, the family would like to invite everyone to join them for a reception in the Fellowship Hall of Triumphant Love Lutheran Church.