Rev. E.Courtney Wilson's Obituary
Rev. Ernest Courtney Wilson, age 89 of Hendersonville passed away peacefully on Monday, May 12, 2014. He was born June 25, 1924 in Paducah, KY to the late Eva Malone Wilson and Troy Dellion Wilson. Known affectionately as “Brother Wilson”, he was pastor of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, TN for 27 years. Prior to becoming pastor of First Baptist, he was pastor of Woodbine Baptist Church in Nashville, TN. He also held pastorates at Fairview Baptist Church in Newbern, TN and Smithfork Baptist Church in Statesville, TN while in college. He proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II where he was a crew chief for two commanding Generals of the First Air Force. He served overseas at Torbay Air Base in St. John’s Newfoundland where he met the love of his life Betty Lorraine Roberts who became his wife in 1946. Married for 63 years, it was a love affair that never ended. After World War II, he obtained his undergraduate degree from Union University and post graduate degree from Vanderbilt-Peabody. While pastor of First Baptist Hendersonville, he served as Vice-President and President of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. He also served on the Boards of Baptist Hospital and Belmont University. After “retirement” in 1985, he served as Associate Pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Nashville for 15 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, his parents, two brothers, and one sister and grandchildren, Brandi Liane Wilson and Charles Connerly “Tucker” Steele, Jr. He is survived by daughters, Sylvia (Mark) Smith and Laurie Gray and sons, Jerry (Jane) Wilson and Philip C. (Cindy) Wilson, 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister, Jean Vantrease of Lexington, KY. Honorary pallbearers are: former members of the Hendersonville Coffee Club; Mr. Bob Sudderth (a very special friend); Dr. Jim Carmack and staff; Dr. Cordell Chaffin; Dr. Conrad Shackleford; Mr. Rudy Fisher; the staff of Emeritus at Main Street; the caregivers of Alive Hospice; current and former staff members of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville; the staff of Grace Baptist Church during Bro. Wilson’s tenure; the King/Tollet Sunday School Class and every other Sunday School Class that he enjoyed visiting. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Graham Mayfield, Jared Gray, Braxton Wilson and Skylar Peden and great-grandsons, Enoch Smith, Jonas Smith and Simon Smith. Visitation with the family will be on Wednesday, May 14th from 3-8 P.M. and on Thursday, May 15th from 9:30-11 A.M. at First Baptist Church Hendersonville. Funeral Services will be conducted on Thursday, May 15th at 11:00 A.M. from First Baptist Church Hendersonville with Dr. Bruce Chesser and Dr. Fred Johnson officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Hendersonville Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Courtney Wilson Scholarship Fund at First Baptist Church c/o First Baptist Church, 106 Bluegrass Commons, Hendersonville, TN 37075 or the Courtney Wilson Scholarship Fund at Grace Baptist Church, 1520 Old Hickory Blvd., Nashville, TN 37207. Arrangements Entrusted To: Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Road, Nashville (615)865-1101 www.springhillfh.com
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