Melba JoAnn Laird Wilson, 82, was born in Galveston, Texas on August 8, 1937. She went to be with her Lord on November 17, 2019. While she will be greatly missed here, we rejoice that she is rejoicing with her Heavenly Father and is now healed from Dementia.
Anyone that knew JoAnn knew she loved the Lord, her family, and her friends. Her home was always open, and there was always food available, especially chocolate. Her candy dish was never empty and was open for the taking. If you went to visit her, she wanted you to try the latest treat she’d baked up, and if you didn’t take it quickly enough, she would practically feed it to you. If you were visiting her, you were never hungry.
JoAnn loved her church. Through the years, JoAnn actively attended the Episcopal church in the city she was living. She was an energetic member of St Francis by the Lake Episcopal church in Canyon Lake until she became unable to attend on a regular basis. JoAnn served on various ministries through the years, including Altar Guild, Daughters of the King, Vestry and Honduras outreach. She loved greeting people with a big hug and showed God’s love to all those around her.
She loved music, and when she heard it her body began to move, her arms would raise, and a smile covered her face. At Memory Care of New Braunfels, she put many a smile on the care givers there with her moves and her loving attitude towards the care givers as well as other residents. She was always wanting to help and showed God’s love to all those around her despite her disease.
JoAnn retired from Harris County Appraisal District in 2003 where she enjoyed working with all the jurisdictions in the Harris County area. After retirement she was busy with different things she enjoyed stuffing envelopes for KSBJ Christian radio, working with her church St Christopher’s Episcopal in Spring Branch and traveling to places like Sydney Australia to climb the Sydney Harbor bridge and pet a few koala’s & wallaby’s, whitewater rafting 280 miles through the Grand Canyon while celebrating her 70th birthday as well as many other adventures.
JoAnn is survived by her daughter, Gina A Wilson and partner Linda Hemphill of Show Low, Arizona, son Gamalia (Andy) A Wilson Jr. & wife Lisa of Canton, daughter Deanna L Baxter of Houston, her grandchildren Jayme Medley of Nacogdoches and husband Brandon, David Baxter of Houston, Jeffrey Baxter of Houston, Matthew Wilson of Terrell, Taylor and Emily Hutcherson of Canton, Texas and great grandchildren Macie & Jaxson Medley of Nacogdoches and Damian Baxter of Houston, Chloe and Axel Hutcherson of Canton; brother, Kenneth Laird & Wife Angela of Santa Fe, sister Claudine Zeller of Houston, brothers Jerry Laird & wife Frances of Santa Fe and Russell Laird & wife Connie of Houston. She was preceded in death by her husband Gamalia (Jay) A Wilson Sr, sister Cleeta Woodruff, brother Everett Doyle Laird and parents Claude & Vida Laird.
A celebration service will be held at St Francis by the Lake Episcopal Church Canyon Lake, Texas on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 11:30 AM. Burial will be in Cushing, Texas on Thursday November 21, 2019 at 2pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St Francis By the Lake Episcopal church, P O BOX 2031 Canyon Lake Tx 78133; The Nazarene Fund at mercuryone.org/donate or PO Box 140489 Irving, Tx 75014-0489
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