Velma Wilson

Velma Muriel Pitts Wilson, age 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, in Cedar Park, Texas. Velma lived most of her life in Pasadena with Leon, her beloved husband of 64 years. Their home was always filled with family, friends, laughter and love–and lots of coffee. Many hours were spent gathered around the kitchen table, sharing joys and sorrows and lives. Velma was born in Goose Creek, now part of Baytown, Texas, on Friday, November 13, 1931. She and Leon met in July of 1949 and fell in love immediately. They were married two months later. They had four children, resulting in a busy life for her. She was a working mother in a time when that was rare and frowned upon by some. She managed it with grace, juggling her job with Little League baseball, girls softball, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, room- mother duties, vacation Bible school activities, whatever came up. She never missed a school program or made her kids feel overlooked because she worked. She also had to deal with a multitude of childhood diseases and accidents, earning her the nickname “Dr. Mom.” Velma had not finished high school when she married Leon. As though being a working mom wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she took the GED and then continued her education at San Jacinto College while working full-time. After the kids were in bed each night, she spread her materials out on the kitchen table and did homework and studied. She always made A’s. Velma’s greatest joy was her family. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Leon and her son Henry Edward “Buster” Wilson, as well as siblings C. A. Pitts, Mavis Pitts Wise, and Dalton Pitts, and her parents, Emmitt Pitts and Sibyl Tatum Pitts. Velma is survived by children Brenda (husband Ralph Nowicke), Donnie (wife Donna), and Barbara (husband Tom Shallue); grandchildren Robbin Blythe, Christin Wilson, Evan Wilson (wife Michelle), Tommy Shallue (wife Kirby), Daniel Shallue and Kendall Shallue; and great-grandchildren Sean Blythe, Haila Maria Wilson, and James Leon Wilson. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Charles Wise, sister-in-law Becky Wilson, cousins Bob Brinkley and Bill Mansel, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2016, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Grand View Funeral Home, 8501 Spencer Hwy., Pasadena, Texas 77505. The funeral service will be Friday, April 29, at 10:00 a.m., also at Grand View, with graveside service to follow at Forest Park East Cemetery, 21630 Gulf Fwy., Webster, TX 77598. Dr. J Hail and Dr. Jim Overton, Pastor and Associate Pastor of South Avenue Baptist Church, will officiate.