Tommie Wilson

Tommie Frances Duvall Wilson, 82

Frances Wilson, age 82 of Odessa Texas, was called to her eternal home on October 11, 2021 with her son Jimmie, his wife Judy and daughter Rhonda by her side.

Frances was born on May 21, 1939 in Alma, Oklahoma.  She was the seventh child of twelve children born to Elisha Lee and Ina Pearl Duvall.  She is preceded in death by her parents and siblings Ruth, Pauline, Alice, June, Vera, Eddie and Johnny.  She is survived by Mary, Evelyn, Jerry and Jessie.  To say that this family was close would be an understatement. They are mentioned first because this is where the love began.  Frances loved her siblings so much.  They came from very poor and humble beginnings and never lost sight of that.  Later in life she would extend that love to her brother and sister in laws and nieces and nephews.  We often joked in our family that once you were married into the family – you were never getting out regardless of marital status.  Once you were family, you were family for life.

Frances grew up on the rolling plains of south central Oklahoma where she met and married the love of her life Jimmie D. Wilson.  Married at the age of sixteen and nineteen together they raised each other and three wonderful children – Brenda Kay, Jimmie Dean, and Rhonda Ann.  They worked together as partners building a happy life and two separate pipeline construction companies for twenty four years.  Their son Jimmie worked with them after completion of high school until Jim’s untimely death in August of 1979.  Frances became a widow and an empty nester in the blink of an eye at the age of forty.

Frances was known for her strength and fortitude and went on to create a new life for herself working for various oil companies and making many dear, life long friends.  After doing that for several years, she went on to fulfill a lifelong dream that her and Jim had shared for their retirement years.  She built a Mom and Pop convenience store aptly named, Wilson’s Corner.  She ran the store with her daughter Brenda for many years before deciding to retire.  Working in the store suited them perfectly.  Both of them loved serving their community and were both known to be quite the cut ups and jokesters and neither ever met a stranger.  Customers always made it a preferred stop.  Not because they needed anything in particular, but just so they could stop and visit with the crazy mother/daughter duo.  To Frances’ delight, her other daughter Rhonda became a nurse.  This was perfect for Frances.  She loved having special attention and now knew that she would have personal medical care and attention for life!

Frances dabbled in many activities and hobbies during her life.  She was an avid dancer and loved two stepping and waltzing across the dance floor.  She enjoyed country music that told a story but she also loved old gospel hymns.  She loved visiting with friends and family.  Everyone that knew her knew of her love and talent for writing stories, songs, and poems.  Her most favorite writing was the story of the Duvall family and all the love shared.  Later in life she was known to never let a good casino or game room sit empty!

Frances loved her seven grandchildren.  We always joked with her that her favorites were Alvie (lovingly known as Tooter) and Nicholas.  But the truth was she loved all her grandchildren for the individuals they were and had a different and special relationship with each of them.  We all understood that those two were the ones that came first and shared that special part of her life with Jim before his death.  She loved teasing and being teased by her grandchildren.  Frances had a very particular hairstyle that her grandson Matthew loved to tease her about.  He called it a “football helmet”.   She loved every minute it of his teasing.  She only had the two granddaughters but both of them have distinct personality traits of hers.  Amanda has her strength and fortitude while Morgan has her love of style and beautiful clothing and jewelry. Her grandson’s Ben and Andrew shared their grandmother’s intelligent side. They were the quiet ones, which was definitely not a trait of Frances, but one of Jim’s.  She never understood how anyone could be quiet for very long!  Frances had seven great-grandchildren that always brought a smile to her face – Meegan, Kylie, Ryder, Jarrod, Trevor, Breelee and Kenzlee.

In 1985, Mom met a truly wonderful friend – Ray Hill and in 2009 Ray became the second great love of her life.  Though they were never married, for twelve years they were inseparable.  They enjoyed each others company while traveling, dining, visiting family and friends, checking in on their favorite game rooms and casinos or just doing daily life.  Ray was instrumental in helping care for Frances over the past several years.  She couldn’t have asked for a greater friend and companion.

Frances was preceded in death by her husband Jim Wilson, daughter Brenda Asbury and son in law Alvie Asbury II.  She is survived by her companion Ray Hill, son Jimmie Wilson and wife Judy, daughter Rhonda Caley and husband Mike, her grandchildren Alvie Asbury III and wife Jolene, Amanda Asbury-Everett and life partner Cody Everett, Andrew Asbury, Nicholas Wilson and partner Debbie Jones, Benjamin Wilson, Matthew Caley and wife Taylor, and Morgan Caley. Great grandchildren Meegan Valdez and husband Benjamin, Kylie Wilson, Ryder Asbury, Jarrod Wilson, Trevor Wilson, Brenlee Everett and Kenzlee Everett.  She is also survived by an extensive list of nieces and nephews that was very dear to her.

The family would like to mention and thank Dr. Kodi for his many years of dedication, devotion, and compassion in caring for Frances.

And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

Corinthians 1:13