Jo Ann Garner

Editor’s Note: The following is an ongoing series by Jo Ann Garner about a select group of women who live life beautifully. These are the stories of women who fulfilled their roles as homemakers, businesswomen and went on to enrich their lives with tremendous accomplishments rooted in self-expressed beauty.

Several years ago at a fashion show in town, a beautiful lady sitting in the audience smiled so sweetly. She exuded such warmth, stylish elegance and serene composure. Her name was Anne Wilson, wife of Dr. Woody Wilson, a mother and grandmother, an active member of her church and that she was doing wonderful charitable work in the community.

When she is out and about she is always exquisitely dressed, perfectly coiffed and glowing.

Foremost, she is a woman with an exceptionally deep personal faith who knows the Bible, loves the Lord and follows a spiritually-rich and scripturally-directed path. When asked what she considers her greatest accomplishment in life, she said, “My relationship with God and the joy and satisfaction it gives me.”

Born and reared in Baton Rouge along with her eight siblings, Christian belief has been an integral, sustaining influence her entire life.

“In church, I was on the cradle roll,” she said. She enthusiastically shares with others how strong faith has heightened her awareness of God’s special light and presence in all of her circumstances, challenges and relationships throughout her life. She has truly mastered, through daily devotional practice, the blessing of “living, moving and having her being in God.”

Wilson came to Shreveport as a young lady to attend nursing school at Northwestern. During her final year, she met her future husband, Dr. Woody Wilson, who was in his first year of residency at Confederate Memorial Medical Center. They wed a year later.

When Wilson passed away in 2014, they had enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage. Volumes could be written of the full life they packed into those treasured years. They reared five children in their spacious custom-built family home in the country, welcomed 11 grandchildren, travelled all over the world, savored classical music and earned their master’s degrees together in 1985. Indications of their cherished union and its timeline greet visitors when they enter the Wilson home ... wonderful portraits, lovely photographs, heartwarming mementos and sentimental reminders are affectionately displayed, and it is very apparent that much love was given and received over the years within their family.

A generous portion of Wilson’s time has been devoted to community service efforts. She was inspired by the wisdom of a friend to, “Look around and see where God is working and join him.” This led her to Community Renewal International programs such as Friendship House and Sister School for underprivileged youth from poor neighborhoods. She literally entered these less fortunate, high crime sections of the city and became hands-on with the young people who lived there.

“For years, I drove through these areas and saw the people as I passed by. My heart broke for them. I prayed for them and for a way that I could reach out to them,” she said. “Community Renewal opened the door for me to enter their world and get to know and love them.”

“I prayed for them and for a way that I could reach out to them.”

To further support community charities, she has written two books with all earnings donated. Her book, “Rainbows and Promises ... Stories and Prayers from a Grandmother’s Heart,” was published in 2007 with proceeds assigned to Community Renewal. In 2012, her book titled, “Take Off Your Shoes ... You’re Standing on Holy Ground,” was published with proceeds going to Volunteers of America. Both are ministries for children and adults and are reflective of Wilson’s lifelong spiritual experience.