Lucille Wilson

Lucille Wilson, 91, known for her years of bowling, was born Aug. 29, 1916, in La Luz Canyon, northeast of Alamogordo, to Walter Scott Nichols and Icey Stockman Nichols. One of nine surviving children, the family moved to Red Rock just before the Depression. Lucille always remembered having to live with a family closer to town in order to go to school in Lordsburg.
At age 21, she moved to El Paso to go to business school. On Feb. 19, 1938, she and Toad Wilson were married. They had one son, Duane. She worked as a customer representative for an insurance firm and taught youth bowling at Red Rooster and Freeway Lanes, among others.
Lucille is known for 70 years of bowling and served as president, secretary, and was a life member of the El Paso Women's International Bowling Congress. She participated in more than 30 national bowling tournaments.
After building their retirement home in Cottonwood Canyon, a couple of miles from where she was born, Lucille became involved with the Otero County Extension Service. She was state president and served in many offices in the Calico Extension Club. She won many blue ribbons for her canning, crafts and plants in the Otero County Fair. She was also very active in the New Mexico Native Plant Society. She received the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women PIONEER Award, and the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Woman of Merit Award.
She started a monthly basket-making club in her home and taught basket making all over the state.
She died peacefully at her home on Sept. 1, 2007. She was the last survivor of her siblings - Jack, Lovey Woods, Nettie Poe, Ida McCommis, Dorothy Hyde, Lola Noling, Ollie Noling, Cleo Rosson, Arliss Wright and W.W. Bonnie Nichols.
Lucille is survived by her husband of 70 years, Toad Wilson; her son, Duane; and grandchildren, Tirian and Linea.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007, at 11 a.m. in the New Exhibit Building at the Otero County Fairgrounds, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Alamogordo.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made in Lucille's memory to the charity of the contributor's choice.
Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
To sign the online guest book, please visit www.hamiltonodell.com.