Ann Spratt Wilson of Plantation Estates in Matthews died peacefully on December 15th. After a three-month separation, Ann happily rejoins Jim, her best friend and the love of her life. Married for seventy years, they were quite a team; she missed him very much.
Born in Greenville, SC on Sept 18, 1918, Ann’s Spratt family roots extend to Thomas “Kinawah” Spratt, whose family settled south of Charlotte in the 18th century. Named for Ann Spratt, the first white child born in this area, she was proud of both her heritage and her family.
Ann enjoyed her college years at Flora McDonald and at the University of Tennessee, where she met Jim Wilson. They married soon after graduation and, until age 94, were separated only once for any length of time. Jim, a B-24 pilot, spent the last year of WWII in a German POW camp while Ann was at home with the first of their four children.
After a move to Charlotte, Ann put her teaching career on hold and spent a busy 18 years as a homemaker, room mother, choir mother, den mother and PTA officer. While raising four kids and keeping the books for Jim’s business, she also remained very active with the Charity League. Somehow, she made time to renew her teaching certificate and returned to the classroom to teach 9th grade at Smith Jr. High.
Many people reading this will surely recognize Ann Wilson. Beyond her family and large circle of friends, Ann touched hundreds of lives during her years as a teacher, curriculum coordinator and Assistant Principal in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Throughout her life, she took great delight in the successes of her former students. Judging by the number of middle-aged Charlotteans who still recall “Mrs. Wilson from 9th grade”, her enthusiasm, wit and innovative techniques engendered countless life-long impressions.
As a classroom teacher, Ann was quickly recognized for her energy, creativity, and teaching skills and promoted to the position of helping teacher for the entire system. Her career continued as Assistant Principal for Curriculum until she retired in her seventies.
A lifelong learner, herself, Ann spent summers studying at universities in Iowa and London and earned her Master’s and EdS degrees from UNCC. She enjoyed sharing new educational approaches with other teachers, and was particularly proud of starting a program that allowed teachers to complete their Masters’ through UNCC on their own campuses. She initiated a number of programs for Mecklenburg County Schools including “Newspaper in the Classroom”. Ann wrote a textbook for teachers on the subject and, for a number of years, taught it as a graduate course.
After retirement, Ann and Jim enjoyed traveling with friends, visiting 17 countries and many interesting places in the U.S. She particularly loved spending summers at their home in Saluda that has been in the family for more than 100 years.
A member of Myers Park Presbyterian Church, since the family moved to Charlotte in the 40’s, she sang in the choir and served as deacon and elder. After 50 years of service, she was recognized as a lifetime member.
Ann loved people and never met a stranger. Within a few minutes of meeting anyone, she knew their life story and family history. A gifted story-teller, she had a legendary penchant for exaggeration, subscribing to the family philosophy, “If a story is worth telling, it’s worth embellishing.”
Ann’s larger than life character contributed to many rousing occasions; times her friends and family will remember (and probably embellish) for years to come. Never a shrinking violet, she was always willing to don a silly party hat, join brother Roy or sister-in-law Evelyn in a song, or entertain a holiday gathering with a tune played on comb and wax paper. She loved life. She loved her family. We were very lucky to have her on earth for 94 years.
Ann’s family includes four children and their spouses: Sarah Price and husband Bill, Marguerite Hankins and husband David, Conway Wilson and wife Ellie, Chris Wilson and wife Nancy; eight grandchildren: Jay Jacob, Ann Jacob Smith, Sarah Hankins, Miles Hankins, Tom Wilson, Elle Wilson Ellender, Ben Wilson and Lily Wilson; four great-grandchildren; and her brother, Roy Spratt. Brothers Frank and Edward Spratt died before Ann, but her extended family of nieces and nephews continued to be very dear to Ann throughout her life.
We’ll celebrate Ann Wilson’s life in a service at Plantation Estates, Matthews on December 26 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Ann’s name to Myers Park Presbyterian Church or to abused and neglected children through HALOS at www.charlestonhalos.org.
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