Zella Wilson

Zella (Goodman) Wilson, 80, of Graceville Florida passed away Saturday September 24th following a long battle with a rare neurological disease called CBGD. Mrs. Wilson was born September 15th 1931 in Raven Virginia to Rose Arkansas and John Thomas Sizemore. She grew up in the Bluefield West Virginia area. She moved to the Graceville area in the early seventies and has called Graceville home ever since. She was a member of First Baptist Church. She was involved in many community and church organizations. She was the former president of the Garden Club, The Wiregrass Art League, Graceville High Band Boosters, Twix & Tweens of First Baptist Church which held a special place in her heart and many other groups. She is also known for her many years working at Campbellton-Graceville Hospital first in nursing and then becoming the materials manager for the hospital. She also taught EMT training and was one of the first female paramedics in the state of Florida and worked on the hospital ambulance. Ms Zella, as she was known to most people in the area, will be missed by all. She especially loved her family and was always willing and ready to help with any need she came across. She was the first area disaster preparedness director and long time pitcher for the 'Hospital Stats' the hospital softball team. She was a well known photographer and was used for community pictures in The Graceville News, The Jackson County Floridian and even The Dothan Eagle. She also won a variety of awards for her photography and did numerous local weddings. . She also was instrumental in starting the hospitals Candy Stripers program which gave high school girls a chance to do volunteer hours at the hospital. During her recent illness some members of that group who are now nurses were able to care for Ms Zella. She will be missed by her family and friends and will leave a void in the Graceville area that will be hard to fill. She is survived by her husband William Henry Wilson* daughters Joyce Shipes (husband Mike), Nancy Post (husband David), Angie Patten (Husband John), step-daughters Nadene Roebuck (husband Bobby), Fonda Messer and Lori Chitty *Sons Daryl Monk (wife Sheila), David Monk (wife Rebecca), Johnny Monk, and Rev. William 'Buddy' Goodman (wife Tammy) and Twenty Eight Grandkids and Thirty Six Great Grandkids. A memorial service will be held Saturday October 1st at First Baptist Church Graceville at 7:00pm. A time of visitation will begin at 6:00pm at the church. The community is invited to come out and celebrate the life of Zella (Goodman) Wilson. Rev Jerry Windsor and Rev. Tim Folds will be assisting in the memorial service. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations be made to Covenant Hospice, Mayo Clinic Brain Research or the First Baptist Church Twix & Tweens ministry.

Zella Wilson

September 15, 1931 - September 24, 2011