Friday, May 17, 2024
Betty Jo Wilson passed peacefully at Coryell Hospital in Gatesville. She went into eternal rest on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the age of 95.
A graveside service was led by Edward Schaub at Pearl Cemetery on Saturday, April 27, at 3:30 p.m.
Betty Jo was born on July 31, 1928, to O.Z. and Jewel Ballard in Coryell County. Betty Jo graduated from Pearl High School and moved to the Nederland and Port Arthur area of Texas. Her greatest joy was being a mother to her son William Michael Powell who was born on September 16, 1952, in Nederland. She married the love of her life, Clyde Lee Wilson, in 1972, and they remained sweethearts until his passing in 2008.
Betty Jo returned to Pearl with Clyde in 1982. Clyde served the Pearl Church of Christ for over 20 years with Betty Jo by his side, helping to further the work of the Church and expand its presence in the community. Betty Jo loved her church family and enjoyed sewing and quilting with the ladies in the community. She painted glorious pictures of the Texas landscape over the years, sharing her gift of being an artist. She has always been the family historian, writing on any scrap of paper she could find the tales of the family’s move from Kentucky, or how, upon her birth, word initially spread that she had black hair, but once she “dried out” her beautiful auburn curls made their first appearance. Copies of her Chocolate Pound Cake recipe have traveled on the backs of envelopes, notecards, and through the mail to friends near and far, and, today, you can find at least a dozen rewrites of that amongst her belongings.
Her loving caregivers and friends at the Meadows brought her so much comfort and joy these last years. She journaled often about her days there and the kind deeds that were done to support her and care for her, and especially those that helped source her favorite sliced fruit cake from Collin Street Bakery or her dear friends that got her that extra serving of vanilla ice cream.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents O.Z. and Jewel Ballard of Pearl; her husband, Clyde Wilson; and her son, Michael Powell. She was also preceded in death by sister Peggy Sue Parks and husband, Charles; their two sons, Richard and David; and by her brother, Ronald James Ballard.
Betty Jo is survived by her nephew, Ron Ballard and wife, Laura; their two children, Benjamin and Catherine; sister-in-law, Peggy Ann Ballard; and by many wonderful cousins.
