Howard Woodrow Wilson

Rev. Howard Woodrow Wilson, 85 of Jamestown Rd., Morganton, NC went to be with the Lord on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at the V.A. Medical Center, Asheville, NC. Born February 24, 1926 in Yancey County, NC, he was a son of the late Arnold Bradley Wilson and Bonnie Belle Thomas Wilson. He was a World War II U. S. Navy veteran and was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church. Howard was born into the family of God on a Wednesday night in 1956 and announced his call to preach on a Sunday night in 1966. Rev. Wilson was a retired pastor of Smart’s Grove Baptist Church and had served many churches in the mountain counties. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Evie Silver Wilson and a grandson, Richard Wilson.Surviving are his sons, Jerry Wilson and his wife, Loretta of Marion, NC and Roger Wilson and his wife, Hazel of Burnsville, NC; a daughter, Shirley Elkins and her husband, Hoyt of Morganton; grandchildren, Rodney Elkins, Tamara Elkins, Arlen Wilson, Shannan Wilson, Allen Wilson, and Lisa Wildenberg; four great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sisters, Mona Lee Boone and her husband, Jim of Marion, NC and Sonya Smith of Nebo, NC; brothers, Gene Wilson and his wife, Betty of Marion, NC and Doc Norris Wilson and his wife, Jeanine of Morganton.The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 19, 2011 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center with Pastor Billy Mace, Rev. Curtis Carroll and Mr. Hobert Burleson officiating. Hobert and Howard were church deacons together and best friends all their lives. Interment will follow the service in McDowell Memorial Park, Marion with military honors provided by the North Carolina National Guard. Rev. Wilson’s grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Monday at the funeral home.