Nita was born May 26, 1929, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the only child of Anna Fletcher Anderson and Christopher Emanuel Anderson. Her parents met in the Masonic Children’s Orphanage, so she had no memory of grandparents.
She attended Culbertson Elementary, Webster Junior High and Central High Schools. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an Art Education Minor in 1951 from the University of Oklahoma and received her Masters of Special Education in 1965 from the University of Central Oklahoma.
She was a Technical Equipment Illustrator for Quality Control at Tinker Air Force Base and later did fashion illustrations for Kerr’s Department Store. She did many free-lance art projects for advertising agencies, program covers, signs and illustrated two children’s books.
She taught at Westwood Elementary School for 26 years. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed activities in many organizations and was an alumni of Pi Zeta Kappa and Delta Zeta Social Sorority. She especially enjoyed attending her Book Clubs, Revidere and En Ami. She was also proud to be the Queen Mom of the “Nuthin’ Matters Hatters” chapter of the Red Hat Society.
Nita was an active member of Fidelis Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star and Queen Christina Court, Order of the Amaranth for over 50 Years, a member of the Stillwater Social Order of the Beauceant (wives of Knight Templar), and Daughters of the Nile (wives of Shriners). She enjoyed being Musician and dedicated many years to the Orders. She was the Grand Organist for the State of OK, Order of the Eastern Star in 1994 and served as Grand Musician in the Grand Court of the Order of the Amaranth several times.
In her later years, she loved going to the Parkinson’s Exercise Classes at the Meinders NeuroScience Institute at Mercy Hospital. She found a wonderful, supportive community of friends there.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Bill Wilson.
She is survived by her daughters - Anita Bartman Edman and her husband Christopher (Rick) Edman (of the home) and their sons, Nicholas Bartman and his wife, Molly of Catonsville, Maryland and Jeff Edman and his wife, Betty, of New Milford, CT and grandchildren Lily, Iris, Kinley and Kiera; Susan C. Newcombe and husband, Michael and their daughter, Mandi Newcombe and fiancé, Robert, of Wylie, TX; Goddaughter Paula Hammons Sloan of Beach Haven, NJ; grandchildren Victoria Wilson of Monterey, CA, Samantha Wilson of Washington, DC and Steve Wilson of Wascom, TX.
She especially enjoyed the family gatherings and looked forward to times with the whole group at holidays and to individual visits from each family member for quality time. She looked forward to being in heaven with her Billy and parents and finally getting acquainted with her grandparents.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend and will always be sweet in our memories.
A memorial service for Nita will be held at the First Presbyterian Church Chapel, 1001 NW 25th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 on Wednesday, December 18th at 1:00 pm.
Donations in lieu of flowers to the Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance.
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