Florence Wilson

Florence Jean Wilson of Columbia, Missouri died at the MU Hospital on January 7, following hospitalization for the Covid-19 virus. She was born on March 11, 1942 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her parents, Edgar Boone and Florence May (Laing) Boone, died young leaving Flo and her brother, Robert, to be raised by their grandparents, Joseph and Louisa (Dutot) Boone.

Flo married her husband, Earl, in 1960. They met while he was stationed in Newfoundland with the U.S. Navy. They enjoyed 60 years of marriage or “sustained warfare,” as she liked to joke. They spent the first 16 years as a military family, moving around the country and spending long periods apart. After Earl retired from the military, they made a final move to Columbia, where they settled into a life of academics, quality time with family and friends, and traveling. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who loved making holidays and birthdays extra special. Flo also had a strong interest in the arts, participating in many art workshops and providing voluntary support for the Columbia Art League. Many of her paintings adorn the walls of her children and grandchildren, as well as her own home. She was a strong advocate for higher education and earned a degree in consumer economics from the University of Missouri after her children left the home. She was active in the University Fortnightly Women’s Club and several of its special interest groups. She loved traveling and visited more than 25 countries, all 50 U.S. States and all 10 Canadian provinces within her lifetime. She especially enjoyed quality time with friends and family and “happy hour" on her deck, amongst her flowers with glass of wine. Flo was an avid reader, even continuing to read after losing much of her sight. Most of all, she was a fun-loving and feisty woman with strength and perseverance.

Flo is survived by her husband, Earl Wilson; daughters, Pamela Wilson and Kimberly (John) Hiley, Columbia, MO; grandchildren Heather (Matt) Gazda of Suffolk, VA, and Brandon Pepper of Roswell, NM; great-grandchildren, Zake and Byron Pepper of Richlands, NC, and Connor and Sophia Gazda of Suffolk, VA; and numerous cousins and other relatives in Canada. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edgar and Florence May Boone; her brother, Robert Boone; and one granddaughter, Hilary Wilson.

A memorial service will be held at a later date when it is safer to gather. In lieu of flowers, gifts will be appreciated to the Florence J. Wilson Scholarship in Financial Planning at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Checks should be mailed to Mizzou Advancement, 407 Reynolds Alumni Center, Columbia, MO 65211, indicating Flo’s scholarship fund. Alternatively, contributions to a local food bank in Flo’s memory will be appreciated.