Obituaries
Mamie Lee Roper Wilson
( June 29, 1924 - January 27, 2019 )
Mrs. Mamie Lee Roper Wilson, 94 years young, of 4571 Burt’s Road in Vale, beat us to Heaven Sunday, January 27, 2019.
The receiving will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vale Saturday, February 2, from 12:30-1:45. Her Funeral Service will follow at Trinity at 2:00 with the Reverend Tommy Lineberger officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Mamie Lee Roper Wilson, Sissy and Granny to many, burst into this world on June 29, 1924. Named after her mother, Mabel Lee and her Aunt Mamie, she was a beautiful, platinum blonde angel who told a mean joke, was the life of the party and was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who loved her family fiercely.
Mamie Lee lived a full and brilliant life of 94 years. A social butterfly, devoted mother and homemaker, extraordinary cook, problem solver, community servant and active life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church, she was well known, much loved and unforgettable to all she met.
Mamie Lee was a hard-working, energetic and charismatic woman. She graduated from Hickory High School in 1940 and worked at Ellis Hosiery Mill to help support her parents and younger siblings. A blind date in 1944 led her to marry Jacob Blume Wilson on July 1, 1944, where she then lived in Vale with “Jake” 63 years until his death in 2007.
While married, she assisted Jake with their farming business. They raised chickens, dairy and beef cattle, hogs and eventually established the Wilson Trucking business. A community servant, Mamie Lee served on the local Parent Teacher Association and attended state conferences and campaigned for numerous local political elections. She was an avid member of the Catawba County Farm Bureau Association and served on the Board of Directors for many years. As an active, life-long member of the church, she hosted numerous Ladies’ Missionary meetings in her home and helped to raise her children in the church and instill her values and deep love for family. Mamie also had a creative, fashionable side and after attending Beauty School she managed her own hair salon in her home. She, too, always liked to look her best.
One of Mamie’s most memorable attributes was her love of children. Mamie Lee was a Kindergarten teacher in the first federally funded Kindergarten class in Catawba County. Mamie Lee also directed before school and after school care programs, summer camps and was a favorite substitute teacher at Fred T. Foard High School in Newton. She adored her family, friends and students. She often reflected on her time as a teacher and shared vivid memories of her classroom. Former students still remember her with love and adoration, most calling her Granny Wilson, some, their hero. Her legacy of love, infectious laughter, colorful humor and passionate devotion will not be forgotten as ALL who knew her have a story to tell.
Mamie Lee was fueled by her dedication to her family. Devoted and loving wife to Jake for 63 years, she was mother to three children, grandmother (Granny) to five and great grandmother to seven. She could not have been more proud of her family or the life she and Jake shared.
She was preceded in death by her precious yet precocious son Jacob Blume Wilson, II in 2005 and her loving husband Jacob Blume Wilson, in 2007. These, the deaths of her parents and death of her brother George Roper, Jr., profoundly affected how she lived and loved those around her. Also, preceded in death were siblings Bill and Bob Roper of Hickory, and Betty Lail of Vale.
Mamie Lee loved people. She was always excited to attend weddings, celebrations, school functions, sporting events, Farm Bureau meetings, recitals, grandchildren’s theater productions and her Golden Girls lunches. She looked forward to hosting showers and dinners so she could dress up, talk to everyone and tell the best jokes to get the biggest laugh. Full of life, energy and comedy she caused Jake to blush and shake his head much of their married life and left all with a smile and a chuckle.
Survivors include two daughters, Judy Wilson Hollar of Vale and Viveca Wilson Paddon and husband Pete of Vale; five grandchildren; Hayley Hollar Leonard and husband, Brian, Steven Hollar, Dallas Paddon Butler and husband, Brandon, Carrie Wilson Love and husband, Kevin, and Julia Wilson; seven great- grandchildren, Gannon Hollar, Cooper Jake Leonard, Abigail Wilson, Madison Sullins , Selah Leonard, Beckham Butler, and Alison Love; sister, Patsy Bailey and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 7, Vale, NC. 28168.
The receiving will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vale Saturday, February 2, from 12:30-1:45. Her Funeral Service will follow at Trinity at 2:00 with the Reverend Tommy Lineberger officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Mamie Lee Roper Wilson, Sissy and Granny to many, burst into this world on June 29, 1924. Named after her mother, Mabel Lee and her Aunt Mamie, she was a beautiful, platinum blonde angel who told a mean joke, was the life of the party and was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who loved her family fiercely.
Mamie Lee lived a full and brilliant life of 94 years. A social butterfly, devoted mother and homemaker, extraordinary cook, problem solver, community servant and active life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church, she was well known, much loved and unforgettable to all she met.
Mamie Lee was a hard-working, energetic and charismatic woman. She graduated from Hickory High School in 1940 and worked at Ellis Hosiery Mill to help support her parents and younger siblings. A blind date in 1944 led her to marry Jacob Blume Wilson on July 1, 1944, where she then lived in Vale with “Jake” 63 years until his death in 2007.
While married, she assisted Jake with their farming business. They raised chickens, dairy and beef cattle, hogs and eventually established the Wilson Trucking business. A community servant, Mamie Lee served on the local Parent Teacher Association and attended state conferences and campaigned for numerous local political elections. She was an avid member of the Catawba County Farm Bureau Association and served on the Board of Directors for many years. As an active, life-long member of the church, she hosted numerous Ladies’ Missionary meetings in her home and helped to raise her children in the church and instill her values and deep love for family. Mamie also had a creative, fashionable side and after attending Beauty School she managed her own hair salon in her home. She, too, always liked to look her best.
One of Mamie’s most memorable attributes was her love of children. Mamie Lee was a Kindergarten teacher in the first federally funded Kindergarten class in Catawba County. Mamie Lee also directed before school and after school care programs, summer camps and was a favorite substitute teacher at Fred T. Foard High School in Newton. She adored her family, friends and students. She often reflected on her time as a teacher and shared vivid memories of her classroom. Former students still remember her with love and adoration, most calling her Granny Wilson, some, their hero. Her legacy of love, infectious laughter, colorful humor and passionate devotion will not be forgotten as ALL who knew her have a story to tell.
Mamie Lee was fueled by her dedication to her family. Devoted and loving wife to Jake for 63 years, she was mother to three children, grandmother (Granny) to five and great grandmother to seven. She could not have been more proud of her family or the life she and Jake shared.
She was preceded in death by her precious yet precocious son Jacob Blume Wilson, II in 2005 and her loving husband Jacob Blume Wilson, in 2007. These, the deaths of her parents and death of her brother George Roper, Jr., profoundly affected how she lived and loved those around her. Also, preceded in death were siblings Bill and Bob Roper of Hickory, and Betty Lail of Vale.
Mamie Lee was one of a kind; a legend some might say. Whether telling stories of walking to school in “holey” socks, eating flour gravy with salt and pepper for lack of anything else, wringing chickens’ necks, using chamber pots and outhouses, scaring kids into obedience with “Little Bud” stories, killing copperheads with shovels to save a grandchild, racing Camaros on the highway to Canada, catching lightning bugs on a warm summer’s evening, staring out the kitchen window while talking on the phone, “hiding” credit card bills from Jake or feeding an army with her famous deviled eggs, chicken casserole, fried chicken, cornbread, rice pudding (her favorite) or apple crisp she was never short on food, love or entertainment. Whether driving cross-country or riding to school in her green Monte Carlo, life was NEVER dull with Granny.
Throughout her earthly life and especially near the end, her faith in Jesus Christ filled her heart and carried her failing body. She shared her prayers with her family and knew that God was coming to take her home. We cannot imagine this life without our Granny. We love her more than a “bushel and peck”, but we rejoice that she is in God’s Heavenly garden.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 7, Vale, NC. 28168.
Posted on 29 Jan 2019
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