NASHVILLE--Nelda Smith Wilson, 80, of Nashville, died Friday, October 16, 2009, at her home in Nashville. She was born March 17, 1929, near Center Point in Howard County, the daughter of the late Kenney and Verna Smith. She was preceded in death by an infant son.
She was an amazing woman who touched so many lives in the community. She loved working in her yard and flower gardens. She enjoyed genealogy, traveling, and entertaining in her home. She was a tireless volunteer and philanthropist. Above all else, her family was her greatest pride and joy.
She was co-owner of the Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper Bottling Company. She was a member and longtime teacher of the Sunset Church of Christ. She was a graduate of Center Point High School, where she was valedictorian and member of the basketball team. She loved horseback riding on her horse Lightning. She was a charter member and past president of the Nashville Junior Auxiliary. She was active in the Mine Creek Chapter of Daughters of American Revolution and Friends of Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives. She headed the Easter Seals and the American Heart Association for many years in Howard County. She was active in the creation of the Howard County Heritage Club and instrumental in publishing the Howard County History Book.
Most recently, she was serving on the Center Point renewal board and was very instrumental in the new community building and fire station. Additionally, she was a current member of the Howard Memorial Foundation and was so pleased to see the new hospital completed.
Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Ramon Forrest Wilson; two sons, Kenneth Ramon Wilson and wife Tiffany Bearden Wilson and David Walker Wilson; one daughter, Elizabeth Wilson Overton and her husband, Walt Overton; two grandsons, Taylor and Joseph Wilson; three granddaughters, Cayse Harris Reese, Ashlee Wilson, and Jessica Harris Delozier; two great grandsons, Cameron Reese and Carsyn Delozier, and one great granddaughter, Grace Reese. She will be greatly missed by Sue Goodson, her lifelong best friend.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, at the Sunset Church of Christ in Nashville, officiated by Randy Hughes, David Williams, and Rick Lawson. Burial followed at the Nashville Cemetery. The family received friends at Latimer Funeral Home on Saturday, October 17, from 6-8 p.m.
The family requests memorials be made to Sunset Church of Christ, P. O. Box 7, Nashville, Ar., 71852, or Howard County Memorial Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 381, Nashville, Ar., 71852.