Nancy Wilson

Nancy Trousdale Wilson, age 67, passed away on April 18, in the early morning just after a storm swept across central Texas. Taken far too early, she won her fight against pancreatic cancer: no longer suffering and in pain, Nancy is now amongst the other angels. But life on earth will never ever be the same.

Nancy was born August 13, 1951 to Gordon and Marion Trousdale of Smithville, TX. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her siblings, Margaret and Jimmy. Among her cherished memories as a teenager was her time working the soda fountain at her father’s pharmacy and cruising the loop around town in her mustang with her dearest friend, Lynn Whitfield Stucky. Nancy married her high school sweetheart and soulmate, John Samuel “Buddy” Wilson, on January 28, 1971. During their 48 years together, they raised a daughter, Brenda, and a son, Matt. They then later welcomed their precious granddaughter, Kaela, and Brenda’s partner, Dennis Bente. Nancy was a generous, supportive, and very loving wife, mother, grandmother, and aunt. She was proud and delighted to recently watch her daughter Brenda successfully defend her doctoral dissertation and earn her PhD in the medical humanities.

After graduating high school in 1969, Nancy began college at (Southwest) Texas State University in San Marcos, where she met three lifelong friends whom she dearly loved. Nancy earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Texas in Austin. She enjoyed teaching English and Reading for over 16 years in the independent school districts of Smithville, Bastrop, Comal, and Judson. Nancy was an avid gardener with a passion for flowering plants. She was multi-talented, enjoying sewing, crocheting, knitting, and making stained glass art for her family and friends. She was an active member in the Smithville community, having volunteered at the Smithville Food Pantry and the Born Again Emporium. Nancy was a member of the Smithville Garden Club, and she was a very devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Smithville. She was instrumental in raising funds to upgrade and maintain the church carillons, which now chime again.

Nancy is preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law Margaret and Corky Klaerner, her parents Gordon and Marion Trousdale, and her grandparents Jim Gray and Clara Trousdale and Matthew and Mabel Arnold. Nancy is survived by her husband Buddy, daughter Brenda, son Matt, granddaughter Kaela, as well as her brother Jimmy Trousdale and his wife Tylene, and numerous sisters- and brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews on both the Wilson and Trousdale families.

The family would like to thank the staff of Hospice Austin for their attentive and tender care during Nancy’s last weeks. We are also grateful for the faithful members of the Meal Train – your kindness has literally nurtured and sustained us through these last difficult months. Her family will hold a Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 4th at the First United Methodist Church in Smithville, TX at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family strongly encourages friends and acquaintances to donate to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research (www.lustgarten.org), where 100% of your donations go directly toward research of this grossly under-researched, horrible cancer.

“Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.” - Emily Dickinson