Kitty Lee Thomas Wilson

Kitty Lee Thomas Wilson was born in 1917 in Newport News, Virginia. The family moved to Winston-Salem within two months of Kitty's birth. She lived the remainder of her life in Winston-Salem. An exceptional student in Winston-Salem public schools, skipping five half grades, Kitty graduated from Reynolds High School in the class of 1933 at age 16. Her youth and her movie star appearance brought her the nickname ""Baby."" Kitty married Thomas Woodrow Wilson, a photoengraver and subsequently a photographer and artist in 1935. For many years she was a homemaker, mother, and manager of her husband's photography business. In 1975 she became President of Studio One, a major advertising photography firm in the Triad. She served the company in that capacity until her retirement in 1980. She was a devoted member for many years of Ardmore United Methodist Church and later of Centenary United Methodist Church. An avid Bible reader, she read the Bible cover to cover 89 times, in virtually all of the English versions. Her children include a son and daughter, the late Thomas Woodrow Wilson, Jr. of Greensboro and Nancy Wilson Miller of Wilmington, both by her husband's previous marriage, and two sons, Gerald Lee Wilson of Durham and John Christian Wilson of Chapel Hill. She had ten grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She was a lady of style as well as substance. She always appeared dressed up in public, be it at the Twin City Club Tea Dance or shopping at a local Food Lion. She and her husband loved dancing and travel. She lived since 2001 at 130 Winfield Ridge Drive in the Homestead Hills retirement community. ""Miss Kitty"" was well known and loved by Homestead Hills residents and staff, and was known especially for wearing stylish hats everywhere she went. She died on February 4, 2014 at the Homestead Hills skilled nursing facility. A memorial service will be held for her in the chapel at Centenary United Methodist Church on Saturday, February 15, at 2:00 p.m. Her ashes will be interred with those of her husband in the Centenary Columbarium. Arrangements are being made by Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Centenary United Methodist Church, 646 West 5th Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Online condolences can be made at www.hayworthmiller.com.

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