Mary Ruth Church Wilson

Our beloved Mary Ruth C. Wilson peacefully passed surrounded by family on Thursday, February 24, at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.

Mary Ruth was born on June 23, 1925, in North Wilkesboro to the late Paul Edgar and Maggie Mae Church. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1946 and came to Hendersonville in June of 1949 as a Henderson County Home Demonstration Agent with the North Carolina Extension Service. She later taught for the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, then for the Henderson County school system, retiring in 1989.

Mary Ruth married the late William Brown “Bill” Wilson on January 16, 1952. They spent many happy years together and had three daughters- Mary Jane and husband Kevin Keefe of Mills River, NC, Ruth Ann and husband John McCormick of Tullahoma, TN, and Carol and husband Greg Bender of Charlotte, NC. Mary Ruth has four granddaughters- Laura and husband Aaron Solloman, Stacy and husband Luke Smithson, and Kendall and Katie Bender. She also has a great grandson, Brooks Smithson.

She loved her family and friends and was a constant source of joy to everyone around her. She was a giving soul and the epitome of grace, hospitality, and strength. To know her was to love her.

Mary Ruth was an active member of First United Methodist Church and involved in many Methodist women’s organizations. She was also a member of the Junior Women’s Club, Junior Welfare Club, Alpha Delta Kappa teaching sorority, P.E.O, and other philanthropic service organizations. She moved to Carolina Village in 2009 and enjoyed spending time with her many friends there.

Mary Ruth’s celebration of life will be held at First United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 13^th. The visitation will be held at 1:00 pm, followed by the service at 2:00 pm.

Contributions in her honor can be made to First United Methodist Church or the Community Foundation of Henderson County.