Ida Mae Wilson, 87, passed away Saturday, April 13, 2013, in Iola. Ida was born in Chickasha, Okla., but lived most of her adult life in Oklahoma City. She had various jobs over the years, but her favorites were waitressing and working at Tinker Air Force Base as a personal secretary.
Ida loved nature and beauty. She would plan her backyard gardens every year by drawing a diagram of the yard and her flower beds, and then planning which flowers and colors to use until it was just right and then she would plant. Birds were another passion, and she would sit and observe the birds for hours. Her keen eye for color and detail helped her to china paint many birds and flowers into award winning pieces at the Oklahoma State Fair. She also hand made porcelain dolls, from painting them to dressing them exquisitely, and the final results were award winners at the Oklahoma State Fair, too. She was very talented and artistic.
She loved adventure, and the adventure she was most proud of was when she made a tandem skydive at age 70. She had the video to prove it, and would happily share it with everyone.
Her final years were spent at Windsor Place in Iola, where she was treated with incredible kindness and compassion. She befriended the staff and the occupants, and they all talked about her great sense of humor, her ability to make them laugh, and her love of dancing. Windsor Place made it comfortable for her, so that she spent most days on the patio drinking her coffee, smoking, and observing the birds and flowers that she loved so much.
Ida is preceded in death by her three sisters, Billie Gates, Mohota Siegle, and Lucille Douglas. She is survived by her daughter Cynthia Neal (Dan) and her son Rory “Rusty” Maxwell (Debbie); three grandchildren, Shannon Carey, Jeremy Neal, and Sarah Trevino (Matt); five great-grandchildren, Jeff Doty (Crystal), Tadd Doty, Laura Carey, Lacey Carey and Kinsey Trevino; five great-great-grandchildren, Madyson, Claire, Cameron, Cole, and Jeff; numerous nieces and nephews and her “family” at Windsor Place.
Cremation has taken place.
Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, assisted the family.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Ida Wilson
