Rosemary W. Wilson

Rosemary W. Wilson, 88, of Kingston, died unexpectedly on Monday, May 31, 2010, at Rhode Island Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of Philip H. Wilson for over 63 years. Born in Rochester, New York, she was the daughter of Rev. John and Beatrice Williams. Part of her childhood was spent in Missouri where her father was a Baptist minister, and part in Sennett, New York. She attended Cornell University, graduating in 1943 with a degree in Home Economics. She met her husband while they both worked for the Agricultural Extension Service in Oswego County, New York. Rosemary earned a pilot's license in the mid-1940's, served in the Civil Air Patrol, and was the first woman to fly solo out of Fulton Airport in upstate New York. Having lived in Oswego and in Ithaca, New York, Rosemary became a Rhode Island resident in 1955. She received a Master's Degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1965 and taught in the College of Home Economics. After her retirement she volunteered with Child Find, screening young children for learning disabilities. A long-term survivor of cancer, she helped many others to cope with their own cancer. With her husband she traveled the world, visiting China, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Europe. They went from London to Istanbul on the Orient Express and from London to Hong Kong on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Her favorite place to visit was France and together they made 28 trips to Paris. She enjoyed cooking; walking, especially along the seawall in Narragansett; and spending time with family and friends. She was a member of Kingston Congregational Church, Willow Dell Beach Club,Kingston Hill Gardeners, Every Tuesday Club, a number of book and bridge clubs,Tavern Hall, and the University Club, and was a longtime supporter of the Kingston Chamber Music Festival. She served on the board of the Mary LeMoine Potter Fund. She was the mother of Phyllis W. Wilhelm (husband Alexander) of Longboat Key, Florida and Center Lovell, Maine; D. Douglas Wilson (wife Jessica) of Narragansett, RI; and Stephen R. Wilson (wife Debra) of Charlestown, RI, and the grandmother of Carol Knauff (husband Michael) of Belmont, MA; Elizabeth Boucher (husband Nicolas) of Brussels, Belgium; Jacquelynn Wilson (fiancee Cole) of Charlestown, RI; and Philip Wilson of Richmond, RI; and the great-grandmother of Meredith Knauff. She was the sister of Shirley Hill (husband Robert) of Elbridge, New York and Ann Gramlich (husband Richard) of Thousand Oaks, California. Burial will be private. A Celebration of her Life will be held at the Kingston Congregational Church, 2610 Kingstown Rd., Kingston, on Saturday, June 5 at 2 P.M.. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Rosemary's memory may be made to The Kingston Chamber Music Festival; South Kingstown Public Library Memorial and Book Tribute Program; or South County Museum.