Nancy Wilson Obituary

Nancy Wilson
Phoenix, AZ - Nancy Wilson (1/10/1940 to 5/16/2021) fully enjoyed her 81 years, writing "I don't like to even think about leaving this Earth." She fought an eight-year courageous battle, silently and privately, with a rare form of Waldenstrom's (WM) Lymphoma which on May 16, 2021, brought her undimmable spirit to Heaven. Nancy was loyal to her family and friends, and they will miss her everlasting uplifting attitude.
Nancy was born on January 10, 1940 in Augusta, Georgia, to parents Catherine Maddox Nixon and Walter Warren Wilson Sr., and raised in Graniteville, South Carolina, with her older brother, Walter Warren Wilson Jr. and older sister, Jane Holley Wilson. She remained close to both of her siblings throughout her life. While Nancy was not given a middle name, her mother wanted to name her Nancy "Pete" Wilson after her husband's adored brother, Peter Pickard Wilson. Nancy was preceded in death by her beloved brother Walter whom she called Bubber. Her sister Jane has a lovely memory of putting Nancy in her bicycle basket when Nancy was three years old and Jane was 11, and riding down the hill in Graniteville with little Nancy's legs dangling out on either side of the basket. Jane loved Nancy very much and in later years visited Nancy in Phoenix and the two talked regularly on the phone.
Nancy graduated from Leavelle McCampbell High School, in Graniteville in 1958. After graduating from Newberry College in 1963, Nancy moved to Dallas, Texas where she worked at Texas Instruments. In 1993, she retired from Texas Instruments and seeking a change of scenery, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and a position with Del Webb as an Administrative Assistant, where she became the "can-do" person and an indispensable team member.
Nancy adored her nieces and nephews, and they loved their Aunt Nancy very much. She never forgot a birthday and sent much-coveted letters and care packages to nieces and nephews in boarding school and college. Nancy was especially close to her niece Catherine Wilson whom she personally chauffeured to Hendersonville, NC every year so she too, could make summertime memories at Camp Kanuga as Nancy did during her own childhood.
Her other love was animals. . . hers and her friends'. She loved her cat Miss Tomi, who has been a "such a sweet love in her life," since 2014. She also loved her animal friends Sir Gary, Miss Truffle and Miss Ellye.
Nancy was friendly to everybody she met. Her friends stretch to all corners of this Earth. An unbreakable bond with the Yasukawa family of Japan remains forever in Nancy's heart. She was forthright and had no tolerance for negativity and no time for complainers, but when she liked you, she made you a friend for life and showered you with gifts and baked goods, attention, cards and letters! She let you know she loved you. An avid writer of the longhand letter, she asked about your children and pets, told you of her news, and she could and did right wrongs, critique performances, voice disappointment and hand out praise where deserved.
Nancy enjoyed friendly competition putting her cooking skills and knowledge of the English language to the test; she was a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars; she was the Queen of Happy Hour; and she refused to EVER get a cell phone. In addition to dogs and cats, she loved butterflies; she made a killer eggnog; she prided herself on her homemade peanut butter cups; she loved wrapping presents and used glue, not tape, on the seams; and she had superb detective skills and could find any person she had not seen or heard from for 50 years and add them to her very long list of good friends.
Nancy wanted to thank every person who helped her on her journey with cancer. Her entire team at The Mayo Clinic was special to her as were Nurses Patty, Angela and Gabriela at Dr. Reeder's office as well as Dr. Millstine. She said of all who helped with her medical care, "Your friendships will take me into the next chapter of my life, and I could not have done this without you. I looked forward to seeing your smiling faces every time I was at Mayo."
Thinking of others to the end, Nancy has set up a fund to help people who are unable to take on the financial responsibility of a pet but who would love to have one. If you are interested in contributing to this special fund in lieu of flowers, please send donations in the name of Nancy Wilson/Miss Tomi to Four-Legged Friends, ATTN: Dr. Val Ferguson, 3131 East Thunderbird Rd, Suite #59, Phoenix, AZ 85032-5611.
Nancy, along with those things she cherished, rests in the Solace Atrium located at Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary on 6500 East Bell Rd. Scottsdale, AZ. Atrium hours are from 7 am to 7 pm.
Visit Hansenmortuary.com for online condolences.