Glenda Lee Wilson

Glenda Lee (Bean) Wilson of Wilson, NC, passed away on June 10, 2023 at Wilson Medical Center, just 10 days from her 87^th birthday.  She was born on June 18, 1936 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois to William Glenn and Bernice (Staley) Bean.  She lived most of her life in the nearby town of Bluford where she played tricks on her little sister Nancy, relished frequent Sunday dinners and desserts with extended family, and emerged as a leader among the town’s youth. Her father passed away in December of 1941; heartbroken, she treasured the few memories of her “daddy” until the end of her life.

Glenda was the valedictorian of Webber Township High School’s (IL) Class of 1954, where she served as chair of the student council, performed in several musical groups and school plays, and played basketball. She then attended the Missouri Baptist School of Nursing (St. Louis, MO) and graduated in 1957 as a registered nurse. She loved her time in St. Louis and told fascinating stories of her days as a young student nurse in the city. Glenda joined the staff of Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon (IL) upon graduation.  She also worked at Saint Mary’s Hospital (Decatur, IL) and in a private practice for two busy physicians (also in Decatur) during her professional career.

Glenda met her future husband, Walter “Gene” Wilson, in the late 1950s and even served as his nurse during a brief stay in Good Samaritan.  They married in 1961 and lived in Mount Vernon. In early 1962, Glenda and Gene moved to Decatur, Illinois; they had their only child, Julia Carole Wilson, later that year. After Gene’s career took the family to Ohio and Mississippi, Glenda developed a passion for duplicate bridge and developed lifelong friendships with other players even as she and Gene moved to Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, and North Carolina.

Glenda was the definition of a “mama bear.”  Fiercely protective of her daughter Julie and her granddaughters, Grace and Miriah, she was their champion and their advocate. They will miss her steadfast love and lively spirit, as will her nieces, nephews, and other friends and family. Glenda embodied strength and determination as she faced debilitating medical challenges, beginning with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in 1980; and she did so in style without one hair out of place. 

Glenda was preceded in death by her husband, Walter “Gene” Wilson; her parents, William Glenn Bean and Bernice (Staley) Sanders; her brother John Robert Bean; and her stepfather, Carl L. Sanders.  She is survived by her daughter Julia Wilson, son-in-law Joseph H. Lane, Jr., and granddaughters Grace and Miriah Lane of Raleigh, NC; her sister, Nancy Jane (Bean) Loehr and husband Daniel “Danny” Loehr of Erie, CO; and two nieces, five nephews, and their families.

A memorial service for Glenda and Gene Wilson will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 26, 2023 at Joyner’s Funeral Home in Wilson, North Carolina.  Visitation will be immediately prior to the service at 1 p.m.  Donations to their memory may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN) or to the Wilson County Public Library (Wilson, NC).  Flowers also are welcome.