Marilynn Wilson

Marilynn Lucille Potts Wilson, age 89, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at her home in Temple with her family nearby. A visitation will take place on Friday, January 6, 2017, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the Scanio-Harper Funeral Home at 3110 Airport Road in Temple. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 10:00 AM, also at the funeral home, followed by burial at Bellwood Memorial Park in Temple. Marilynn was born on February 28, 1927, to Henry Clay and Gladys Sneary Potts, in Stillwater, OK. She graduated with honors from Stillwater High School and continued her studies at Oklahoma A & M (later Oklahoma State University.) She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1949 with a Bachelors in Music Education, then taught vocal music to children in Tonkawa, OK, for a year. She married her college sweetheart, Norman Edward Wilson, on June 4, 1950, and they moved to Norman, OK, where they joined the church choir as Norm was getting his Master’s Degree in Psychology. There they welcomed their daughter, Jane Ann, before moving to Wichita, KS. Daughter Carolyn and son Tim joined the family before they all moved to Austin, TX, so Norm could work on his Doctorate in Counselor Education. They both sang in the University Methodist Church choir, Marilynn continued taking voice lessons and was active in the University fine arts programs. The next move was back to Stillwater, OK, where Norm taught Counselor Education at OSU and Marilynn directed the choir at Highland Park United Methodist Church. She completed her teaching certificate at OSU. The family moved to Marquette, MI, as Norm joined the faculty at Northern Michigan University. After several years of not having ‘tulips in February,’ Marilynn encouraged Norm to pursue opportunities farther south… He joined the staff at the Temple MH/MR facility, which brought them to Central Texas in 1973. Marilynn became employed by the Temple Independent School District soon thereafter as a librarian for several different elementary school campuses, from which she retired in 1998. She gained the reputation as ‘the book lady’ for children of all ages for many years and across generations. She participated in the Rocking Readers program, read for the Tuesday Solace Program at St. Francis Episcopal Church, served as the Children’s Librarian at the First United Methodist Church, and became involved in the Friends of the Temple Public Library – serving as the organization’s president and being awarded ‘Best Friend’ status along the way. She was an active member of the Temple-Bell County Retired Teachers’ Association, the Temple Music Club, Temple Civic Chorus, University of Mary Hardin Baylor’s community choir programs, and several Temple College Music Department vocal ensembles. Her support was showered on the Temple Civic Theatre, where she worked diligently with others creating costumes and served in the Box Office/Front of the House for many years. The Temple Symphony Orchestra and the Cultural Activities Center benefitted from her participation and service, as did the Women’s Federation of Service Clubs. Beginning in the early 2000s, Marilynn took up painting, dutifully attending weekly art classes at the Wilson School of Art housed in the ‘old country club’ facility at Sammons Park, resulting in several award-winning compositions. One project the she prolifically produced for was the Sewing Giving Hope & Comfort project of Altrusa International of Temple, in which she created 100s of little dresses that would be distributed to needy little girls around the globe. Most of all, she was true to her God through her prayers, presence, gifts and service to her church. A decades-long member of the First United Methodist Church in Temple, she not only served as the Children’s Librarian, she taught Sunday School, led the Children’s Choirs, sang in the Chancel Choir, and volunteered for a plethora of fundraising and outreach projects. She most recently was a member of The Rock of Central Texas, a bible and music based church led by her son, Tim, where she participated in every aspect of that group. Marilynn is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Wilson Bennett, and son Tim (Sherrie) Wilson, both of Temple. Her grandchildren were the lights of her life:  Amanda Bennett, Anthony Wilson, Lauren (Chance) Miller, Kaitlin Rieves, Brett Wilson, Taylor Wilson; great-grandchildren are Liam Black, Haley Hillis, Kendall Larsson, Gabriella Wilkinson, Kaiden Miller, Cooper Miller, and Kinsley Miller, along with dozens of her ‘best’ friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Norm, daughter Jane Wilson Rinkaus, great-grandson Eric Rieves, sisters Helen Potts and Carol Erickson, brothers Howard Potts and Robert ‘Bob’ Potts, and nephew Ken Potts. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Friends of the Temple Public Library.