Betty Phillips Wilson

Betty Phillips Wilson, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, homemaker, entrepreneur and a woman of deep faith and love for her church, has died aged 86. Betty died on May 7 at the Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida, from complications following a medical procedure. I loved my family with all my heart," Betty wrote to her children shortly before her passing. "I had a great love for children - they can teach us so much. Across a life that spanned two continents and three countries, Betty built a life anchored in her love for family, children and the church. She was a devoted Christian, especially in her later years following her move with husband George Wilson to St. Simons Island. She was also an avid athlete, with a special enjoyment for tennis. After moving to St. Simons, Betty took up golf, eventually winning recognition from the Sea Palms Ladies Golf Association as Player of the Year 2009-2010 - an award for which she was justly proud. Betty was married to George for 57 years. They had three children, Brian John Wilson, Iain Phillips Wilson, and Pamela Christine Wilson. Betty was born on October 15, 1937, in Buckhaven, Fife, Scotland, to Annie Phillips and Arthur Dundas Wood. She had two younger brothers, William and Arthur, and a younger sister, May. Betty's parents met when her father was recuperating from a coal mining accident that left him with a leg injury and crushed hand. Eventually, the family moved to Clydebank to be closer to her mother's family. Clydebank, an industrial town sitting on the river Clyde, was known at the time for its shipbuilding but also as the location of the Singer Manufacturing Company. Clydebank's industrial heritage was to serve as a formative memory in Betty's childhood as it became a target for German bombs during the Second World War. On May 13, 1941, Betty, then just 3 1/2, was to feel the full impact of the war when her family's home was bombed and burned to the ground during the Clydebank Blitz. In 1968, Betty and George made the difficult decision to uproot their family and move from Scotland to Brantford, Ontario, Canada, where they began a new life, with George working as a mechanical engineer for Worthington Pumps while Betty supported the family at home. Betty and George were active members of the Dufferin Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club. Through their children, they also became involved with the Brantford Aquatic Club. It was through Dufferin that Betty honed her skills as an entrepreneur. Along with a fellow tennis player, Betty began operating a small sporting goods store on the grounds of the club. The store expanded over the years, eventually moving to a bigger location and taking on the name The Sports Den. In 1983, the family moved to Skaneateles, New York, where Betty reignited her interest in the church. During her years in Skaneateles, Betty also took on a part-time job behind the sales counter at a local shopping mall. Following George's retirement in 1998, the couple relocated to St. Simons. The years that followed were among the happiest of Betty's life, marked by beach walks, tennis, golf, outings with friends, and a deeper involvement with the church. Betty especially thrilled in her role during the Kirkin' O the Tartans service, a yearly celebration of Scottish Presbyterian heritage. Also during the St. Simons years, Betty embarked on a number of travels, with her journeys taking her back to Scotland for brief stays. She also traveled to Japan, Australia, Guam, and Canada. Along with her children, Betty is survived by grandchildren Abbey Graffagnia, Grant Wilson, Lucas Wilson, Aki Wilson and Kai Wilson. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren - Sawyer and Liam. A memorial service will be held in remembrance of Betty's life and legacy on May 20, 2024, at 11 a.m. at St. Simons Presbyterian. The service will be live-streamed at https://vimeo.com/event/3934339. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Saint Simons Presbyterian Church, 205 Kings Way, Saint Simons Island, Georgia 31522. Online donations to the church can be made here: https://www.sspres.org/giving.html.