Louise Wilson

Memorial Services for Louise Wilson will be conducted from the Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Friday, July 20, 2012 at 2:30 p.m. with Pastors Ted Carnahan and Jamie Strickler, officiating.

Louise Wilson, 85 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Monday, July 16, 2012 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. Louise was born on November 28, 1926 on the family farm near Tarkio, Missouri, the third of four children born to Fred and Mary (Broermann) Sickman. She was baptized and confirmed in the St. John's Lutheran Church near Westboro, Missouri. She received her primary education from a rural school in Atchison County, Missouri and then graduated from Rock Port, Missouri High School with the class of 1944. She then pursued higher education, receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri in 1948.

She taught school four years at Tarkio High School. On June 25, 1950 she was united in marriage to Allan F. Wilson and to this union four children were born: Marynelle, Janet, Jane and Reed. The couple made their home in Tarkio until moving to Atchison, Kansas in 1952. Louise served as secretary to the President of her husband's company until his job transferred them to Holdrege in 1953. They continued to reside in Holdrege, where Louise supported Allan's career for over forty years for the Blish Mize Hardware Company. The couple celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in 2007. Allan passed away on August 4, 2007.

Louise enjoyed sewing, reading and especially painting. Family and friends have enjoyed her many watercolors and painting on porcelain. Many of her porcelain pieces have been on display at the World Museum of China Painting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She painted one of the place settings of china, which the Nebraska Clubs presented to the Governor of Nebraska in 1998. They are in permanent display at the Governor's mansion in Lincoln.

She was a member of the Bethel Lutheran Church and Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church in Holdrege. She was a past state president of the Nebraska World Organization of China Painters and has held many positions in the state organization. She was a member of the Great Plains Art Guild, the Plains Motel Bowling Team, Holdrege Tri-County Porcelain Artists, Nebraska Porcelain Art Teachers, and member of the Kiwanis Millennium Club of Holdrege, where she was a George F. Hixson fellow.

Besides her parents and her husband, Allan, she was preceded in death by one brother, Carl Sickman and his wife, Margaret; one sister, Marie Joesting and her husbands: Paul Holliway and Lee Joesting; and brother-in-law, Roger V. Wilson, Jr.

Survivors include her four children: Marynelle Wilson of Holdrege, Janet Wilson of Thornton, Colorado, Jane Woolf and her husband, Simon of Beaconsfield, England, and Reed Wilson and his wife, Rose of Loomis, Nebraska; one brother, Marion Sickman and his wife, Miriam of Fountain Valley, California; sister-in-law, Eleanor Wilson of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

There will be no visitation, the family is honoring Louise's wish for cremation.

A memorial has been established in her memory and kindly suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.