Elva Smallwood Wilson was born on November 3, 1929 in Pocahontas, Mississippi, and went to her heavenly home August 13, 2015 in Conroe, Texas at the age of 85. She grew up in Tylertown, Mississippi and graduated from Mississippi State University for Women in 1951 with a degree in Library Science. She worked as a Children’s Librarian in Lafayette, Louisiana. She married Homer F. Wilson in 1951, and they lived together in Lafayette, before relocating to New Orleans, where her husband worked for Humble Oil Company later to become Exxon. They moved around quite a bit before settling in Conroe, Texas in 1967. Elva and Homer enjoyed 63 wonderful years of marriage.
Elva was a charter and organizing member of the Coushattti Trace Chapter DAR and was an active dedicated member who loved making the annual trip to NSDAR in Washington, D.C., where she formed deep and lasting friendships. She was a founding member of the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County serving on the Board and also serving as Past President and Accessioning Committee Member. She continued to be active with the museum until limited mobility prevented it. She also served as a Board member of the Exxon Mobil Retiree Club. She recently received an award for her work in helping to organize the Dogwood Regents Council of the DAR.
Elva was an active member of Conroe First United Methodist and loved participating in the life of the Church, particularly the Beacon Sunday School class. She had a passion for genealogy and enjoyed traveling the world with her husband, visiting such places as Rio De Janeiro and Stavanger, Norway.
Elva is preceded in death by her parents, Mary (Ratliff) and John Smallwood; sister, Gayle Smallwood Scoper; foster daughter, Nacida Henderson; and granddaughter, Kasey Wilson.
She is survived by her husband, Homer F. Wilson; son, Stephen C. Wilson and wife, Olga of Waco, TX., and their son, Daniel of Fort Riley, KS.; daughter, Lynn Wilson Mitchell and son, Austin Mitchell of Conroe, TX.; foster daughter, Leisa Hamilton of Slidell, LA.; brothers, William Smallwood of Roswell, GA. and John Smallwood of Dallas, TX.; stepmother Joy Smallwood of Gulfport, MS.; nephew William Russ Smallwood of Gulfport, MS.; niece Jill Smallwood Bloomer and husband Keith of Roswell, GA.; niece Kristin Scoper Hopper and husband Mark of Dallas, TX.; niece Wendy Scoper O’Connor and husband Sean of Redondo Beach, CA.; niece Shannon Scoper Keute and husband Tim of Edmond, OK. She is also survived by her great grandson, Leeland Vincent; extended family and many treasured friends.
A Memorial Service in celebration of her life will be held on Friday, August 21, 2015, at 11:00 am at First United Methodist Church, 4308 W. Davis Street, Conroe, Texas 77304. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County, 1506 Interstate 45 N, Conroe, Texas 77301. To leave condolences to the family, please visit cashnerconroe.com.
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