Mary Kaye Wilson

Kaye Wilson went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 2, 2013, in Bedford, Texas, after a long and fulfilling life. Visitation will be held at Wharton Funeral Home from 6:00-8:00 the evening of Friday, July 5. The graveside service at the Wilson Family plot in the Wharton City Cemetery will be held at 10:00am Saturday, July 6 with Rev. Tony Wishert officiating. Mary Kathryn “Kaye” Northrup was born in Columbus, Texas, April 3, 1921, the daughter of Sunbeam and James Leonard Northrup (both deceased). She was the wife of Thornton E. “Pete” Wilson for almost 60 years, also deceased. She graduated from Columbus High School and Mary Hardin Baylor University in Belton, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. After graduation she taught school in Harlingen, Texas, prior to her marriage to Pete on April 11, 1943. In 1948, when her daughter, Patty, was four years old and son, Henry, was two, she opened a pre-school. Thus was born “Jack and Jill School” which was in continuous operation for 29 years with over 1,600 students (13 of those second-generation students) attending. In 1977 Kaye and Pete gave the school to First Baptist Church of Wharton and it became the Child Development Center and is still operating to full capacity. In addition to supervising the Jack and Jill School she setup the pre-school program for the Wharton ISD and taught at the Junior High for 21 years. Mrs. Wilson was a member of First Baptist Church, Wharton, and was very active in Sunday School and committees at almost every level in her younger years. She was a member of TCTA, a life member of TSTA and a member of AAUW. She served on the Executive Board of SHARE and as a member of the Board of Directors. Mrs. Wilson is survived by her daughter Patty Crosby and husband John of Wimberley, TX, and Henry Evan Wilson II and wife Gail of Hurst, TX; 4 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and, numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother James Northrup, sisters Yvonne Martin and Sunbeam Northrup, her parents and her husband, Pete. In lieu of flowers please make a memorial contribution to the Child Development Center of First Baptist Church, 507 N. Fulton St., Wharton, TX 77488 (the former Jack & Jill School) or the charity of your choice.