Athene Imogene Wilson

Athene Imogene Wilson of Groesbeck passed away at the Limestone Medical Center, on Thursday, February 4, 2015. She was 98 years old. Visitation will be held Friday, February 6, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2015 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Bud Jones of the Church of Christ in Ada, Oklahoma officiating. Burial will follow at Cobb Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Richy Wilson, James Beaver, Damon Stone, Cody Wilson, Cade Wilson, and Jarrett Stone. Athene was born November 6, 1916 in the Box Church Community to George Washington Lenamond and Mecca Annie (Chambliss) Lenamond. She attended school in Box Church and Davis Prairie, where she loved to play sports, especially baseball. She received her GED on August 4, 1974. Athene was united in marriage to J.B. Wilson on August 21, 1935, in Groesbeck, with Jesse Powell officiating. After the ceremony started, the electrical power was lost due to a thunderstorm, but the ceremony continued in the dark; however, the electricity came back on just before the ceremony was over. Together J.B. and Athene worked in the sweet potato, cotton and corn fields before being employed at the Mexia State School in 1959. They continued to work together on the Central Unit with many of their friends and family members. After 23 years, Athene retired on May 23, 1982 as supervisor of the unit. Later when her husband passed away in 1970, she moved to town to live with her mother. They always enjoyed the benefits of a very large vegetable garden in their backyard. Their flower beds around the house were filled with beautiful rose bushes and vintage plants. They also made some beautiful quilts together. Athene was a very devoted daughter and cared for her mother until her death in December, 1991, at the age of 103 years. After her mother’s death, Athene continued to stay busy. She loved her yard work and going shopping. She thoroughly enjoyed visiting friends and family, especially her daughter, Pat. Athene was a faithful member of the Davis Chapel Church of Christ. She was a strong Christian lady and her faith was paramount to her. If the doors were open, she was there to attend every service. As her health began to fail the last several months of her life, she would always try to remember Sundays and Wednesdays, because she did not want to miss church. Athene was not shy, and in fact, very bold about expressing her belief in the Lord, Jesus Christ. She had a love for the holidays and looked forward to celebrating them, because she knew her family would be together. She was known by her family to cook the traditional family meals, as well as Sunday lunches. The aroma of her roast beef and homemade hot rolls were overwhelming and definitely her specialities. She loved going to the family lake house, but never went alone, because she felt it was not any fun without the family. She would bring homemade oatmeal cookies, fried pies, and the ingredients for homemade ice cream. She loved to play games, fish, and would sometimes put on her cut off shorts and swim. It was all about family. The love for her family ran deep and her family’s love for her might be even deeper. She will always be very loved and truly missed. She was preceded in death by her husband, J.B. Wilson, and her daughter, Pat Beaver. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Janell Wilson of Groesbeck; son-in-law, Bobby Beaver of Palmer; granddaughter and husband, Stacy and Jim Stone of Palmer; granddaughter, Pam McNutt of Groesbeck; grandson and wife, Richy and Wendi Wilson of Groesbeck; and grandson and wife, James and Kacye Beaver of Jacksboro; and eight great grandchildren: great-granddaughters, Amber Wilson of Groesbeck, Emily and husband Matt Wolfe of Williston, North Dakota, Elexi Wilson of Groesbeck, Mallory Beaver of Jacksboro; great-grandsons, Damon Stone of Palmer, Cody Wilson of College Station, Jarrett and wife Courtney Stone of Palmer, Cade and wife Doxie Wilson of College Station. The family requests that memorials be made to Davis Chapel Church of Christ.