Johnnie Mae Wilson departed this life and transitioned to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 5, 2024. She was born on Sunday, November 5, 1939, to the late Johnnie Wright and Jessie Mae Owens Wright in Allendale, South Carolina.

Johnnie Mae graduated from Fairfax High School in Fairfax, South Carolina in 1957. She was a happy, social teenager who participated in extra-curricular activities such as girls’ basketball, the Glee Club and Student Government as the Assistant Secretary of her Senior Class. That's where she honed her leadership skills that would serve her well in life.

Johnnie Mae's upbringing in the church taught her to give back to those who were less fortunate. Before residing at Viva Senior Assisted Living in Harrisburg, Johnnie Mae was a member of Victory Christian Fellowship in New Castle, Delaware. At Victory, she was a member of the Women of Wisdom Ministry. Prior to becoming a member of Victory, she was a member of St. Matthews A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia, PA. Johnnie Mae always looked for ways to help others and would gladly volunteer to take on any task. She, along with her sister Sweetie, delivered Meals on Wheels to the sick and shut in for many years.

Johnnie Mae enjoyed having visitors and always invited people to stop by to see her. She embodied the spirit of love and giving that extended to everyone she met. She believed in giving small gifts to everyone to let them know that she was thinking about them. When asked why she felt the need to give gifts to everyone, she would simply say, "If I'm not giving, I'm not living." It was almost impossible to leave her house without her giving you a new pair of socks, gloves, or even an umbrella. It was easier to take the gift than to say, "No thank you." People loved to visit her, and she loved offering advice and a bible scripture even if they didn't ask for it. Visits were always the same - good conversation, with a side of tea, pound cake, a small gift, and laughter.

Johnnie Mae moved to Philadelphia in 1959. She was primarily a homemaker but held various part time jobs until she became a supervisor at First Pennsylvania Bank, which later became Core States Bank in Philadelphia. She worked there for approximately 25 years. While working at the bank, she managed to get several friends and family hired there, giving them the opportunity to gain useful work experience. She believed in reaching back and pulling others forward. After moving to Delaware, she eventually retired from Core States Bank, but later returned to the workforce at MBNA Bank in Delaware.

Johnnie Mae married her childhood sweetheart, Willie "Bill" Wilson on September 5, 1960. From the day they were married, they were inseparable. You rarely saw one without the other until Bill passed away in 2019. They were always referred to as Johnnie Mae & Bill not by their individual names. From this union seven children were born, five girls and two boys. As God planned it, she passed away on their 64th wedding anniversary.

What Johnnie Mae cherished most was family. If you asked her what her greatest accomplishment was, she would say being blessed with seven children, 11 grandchildren, a growing number of great grandchildren, wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was loved and she exuded love. Family was her pride and joy, and she would do anything for all of them. If a family member called her and needed help, she would come running, day or night. Sending food or money to someone in need was the norm for her. If she couldn't, she would instruct one, or all, of her children to send food or money to the person in need. She made her children promise to always look out for each other. It was understood that also meant to look out for your cousins as well.

She loved large holiday gatherings that had an abundance of people and food. She would say, "Goodness gracious look at all of this food", but secretly she loved it. Her specialty was making delicious, buttery pound cakes. If anyone asked her to make a pound cake, she made five because she liked seeing and having an abundance. If there wasn't enough food for everyone to take a plate home, she believed there wasn't enough food prepared.

Johnnie Mae was preceeded in death by her parents Johnnie and Jessie Mae Wright; her siblings Ernest Wright, Bessie Wright, James Wright, and Johnny Jeter; her beloved husband, Willie "Bill" Wilson; two children, Elaine Wilson Johnson and Willie “Otis” Wilson. She leaves to cherish her memory: five children, Ernestine Roach (Trent), Dwayne Wilson (Quamaine), Pamela Thomas (Derek), Jacqueline Smith (Chris), and Michelle Ross (Monte); her sister, Elizabeth "Sweetie" Ford; her sister in-laws, Evelyn Wright and Jackie Jeter; her grandchildren, Marcel Roach, Tamara Butler, Kurtis (Jenelle) Roach, Ariel Roach, Nicole (JaJuan)Wilkerson, Christine Smith, Catherine Smith, Jason Thomas, Justin Ross, Lauren Ross, and Dwayne Wilson, Jr.; her Great-Grandchildren, Ayden Roach, Zion Butler, Bryson Roach, Chanel Roach and eagerly awaited Harper Wilkerson; her beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends.

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