Doris Phillips Wilson was born on March, 22, 1943 in Longview, Texas. She grew up in Dallas where she attended George Washington Carver Elementary School through the 7th grade. She graduated with honors from James Madison High School where some of her activities included the National Honor Society, Trojarettes Drill Team, school newspaper staff, senior class secretary, and ROTC Sweetheart—Miss Company "C."
After high school, she attended Prairie View A&M University and earned a BS in Business Education. Her first job was working as a dietary aide serving food to patients at Parkland Hospital, and her sophomore year, she found summer employment at Mercer Real Estate, becoming the first black clerical worker for the Department of Public Works. During her senior year at Prairie View, she was strongly encouraged, supported, and mentored by a faculty member and the Chairman of the Business Education Department who wanted several students to attend graduate school at Columbia University Teacher's College in New York City. In September 1965, she left Texas for New York City to attend graduate school at Columbia University where she received an MA in Business Education.
During her Columbia University days, she heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at Abyssinian Baptist Church where another great civil rights champion and politician was pastor, Adam Clayton Powell. She also met William (Bill) Wilson who was a jazz musician studying at City University of New York. The couple married in New York City on February 25, 1966 at Salem United Methodist Church where they were both members. To this union, three children were born—two sons, Craig William Wilson and Christopher William Wilson, and a daughter, Chandler Phillips Wilson. Bill graduated from CUNY with a BA in Sociology and also attended Columbia University, receiving MA and EdD degrees in Higher Education. While Dean of Students at Bloomfield College, he was instrumental in awarding legendary Jazz saxophonist John Coltrane an honorary doctorate in music, posthumously. After completing her graduate studies, Doris served as a teacher of various subjects in middle schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. In 1978 the family moved to Dallas, Texas where Doris was hired at El Centro College, and Bill became Director of Counseling at Mountain View College. In May of 2005, Doris was recognized as the El Centro College Piper Professor and was selected as one of 15 college and university Piper Professors in the state of Texas, receiving the Piper Professor Excellence in Teaching Award. She retired from the Dallas County Community College District in August of 2008.
Doris is survived by her three children, all of New York City, her brother-in-law Gary Freeman Wilson of Chicago, Illinois, and many cousins. She was an active and longtime member of both St. Paul United Methodist Church and Bible Study Fellowship. She also loved to travel and visited over 20 countries on two continents. From Russia to France to Istanbul, some of her most precious memories were spent exploring the world with her husband, daughter, and sons.
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Doris Phillips Wilson was born on March, 22, 1943 in Longview, Texas. She grew up in Dallas where she attended George Washington Carver Elementary School through the 7th grade. She graduated with honors from James Madison High School where some of her activities included the National Honor Society, Trojarettes Drill Team, school newspaper staff, senior class secretary, and ROTC Sweetheart—Miss Company "C."
After high school, she attended Prairie View A&M University and earned a BS in Business Education. Her first job was working as a dietary aide serving food to patients at Parkland Hospital, and her sophomore year, she found summer employment at Mercer Real Estate, becoming the first black clerical worker for the Department of Public Works. During her senior year at Prairie View, she was strongly encouraged, supported, and mentored by a faculty member and the Chairman of the Business Education Department who wanted several students to attend graduate school at Columbia University Teacher's College in New York City. In September 1965, she left Texas for New York City to attend graduate school at Columbia University where she received an MA in Business Education.
During her Columbia University days, she heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at Abyssinian Baptist Church where another great civil rights champion and politician was pastor, Adam Clayton Powell. She also met William (Bill) Wilson who was a jazz musician studying at City University of New York. The couple married in New York City on February 25, 1966 at Salem United Methodist Church where they were both members. To this union, three children were born—two sons, Craig William Wilson and Christopher William Wilson, and a daughter, Chandler Phillips Wilson. Bill graduated from CUNY with a BA in Sociology and also attended Columbia University, receiving MA and EdD degrees in Higher Education. While Dean of Students at Bloomfield College, he was instrumental in awarding legendary Jazz saxophonist John Coltrane an honorary doctorate in music, posthumously. After completing her graduate studies, Doris served as a teacher of various subjects in middle schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. In 1978 the family moved to Dallas, Texas where Doris was hired at El Centro College, and Bill became Director of Counseling at Mountain View College. In May of 2005, Doris was recognized as the El Centro College Piper Professor and was selected as one of 15 college and university Piper Professors in the state of Texas, receiving the Piper Professor Excellence in Teaching Award. She retired from the Dallas County Community College District in August of 2008.
Doris is survived by her three children, all of New York City, her brother-in-law Gary Freeman Wilson of Chicago, Illinois, and many cousins. She was an active and longtime member of both St. Paul United Methodist Church and Bible Study Fellowship. She also loved to travel and visited over 20 countries on two continents. From Russia to France to Istanbul, some of her most precious memories were spent exploring the world with her husband, daughter, and sons.
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