Mary Kay Wilson

On Thursday, March 7, 2024, Mary Kay Wilson passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her mother Mary, sister Chrissy, brother Ronnie, and her husband, Rickey Wray. The family finds comfort in knowing she is healed and in the loving arms of Jesus.

Mary Kay was born in Clovis, New Mexico to Ronald Edwin Spangler, Sr., and Mary Nell Spangler. Mary Kay was raised in Indianapolis where she graduated high school and married Rick in 1977.

Mary Kay’s educational aspirations were put on hold for many years as she moved around the country in support of Rick’s career. Settling down in Arlington in 1989, Mary Kay first studied and obtained an Associate of Science Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Her love of learning and helping others continued as she went on to further her education attending Texas Christian University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree, Magna Cum Laude, followed by a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2004.

Working in the Arlington school system for many years, she helped many youngsters gain their confidence by improving their communication and speech skills. Mary Kay then left the Arlington school system and was an early adopter of video conferencing via computer. She used this technology to provide children with autism and children who are developmentally challenged an opportunity to work and learn together in a video conference call environment. She changed the lives of many children for the better through her tireless work in this field.

Although her career was more in the traditional medical environment, she was a big advocate for treating ailments through holistic and alternative medical methods. She was constantly researching to learn more about how to help her family and friends take care of themselves in this way. Those close to her frequently sought her advice on how best to take care of themselves when faced with an illness or injury.

Mary Kay had an adventurous side. She loved cycling vacations with Rick and her bicycling buddies, traveling to the West Coast, Canada, the Natchez Trace, and all over Texas. She cycled the 75-mile Fort Davis Scenic Mountain Loop annual ride for many years. A highlight was when she won her age division in a 12-hour bike race in Oklahoma. When she and Rick took their vacations including a clipper ship sailing around the islands of Tahiti, she tackled wind surfing, rope assisted cliff climbing, and was always first in the water and last out.

Her favorite pastime was “piddling around in her garden” as she called it and taking care of her trees and many bushes, including a fig tree that she lovingly planted hoping for edible figs and dubbing it “Miss Figgy”. Our neighbors have commented that they will miss seeing Mary Kay tending to her yard. Of course, Mary Kay could never be content to just piddle. As usual, she studied how best to plant, obtaining certifications in organic gardening and horticulture.

Her biggest love was for her doggies and kitties. In fact, Rick joked that she liked animals better than people, which she did not dispute. She never met a dog she did not like while walking our dogs all around the neighborhood. Often, through that connection she would become friends with many of our neighbors outside of the court where she lived. Once you became her friend, there was nothing that she would not do for you from taking you to doctor appointments to checking on your pets, especially cats, when you were away. Of course, not content with just feeding and caring for them, she again studied and worked with holistic veterinarians in the care and feeding of her pets.

Too soon, her life here on earth came to an end. Family and friends will deeply miss her.

She is survived by her mother Mary Spangler, husband Rickey Wray Wilson, brother Ronald E. Spangler, Jr. and wife, Vera, sister Christine Dobson and husband, Tommy, brother-in-law Terry Wilson and wife, Jan, sister-in-law Donna Wilson, nieces Britney Kay Dobson, Connie Sue Spangler-Bonham, Tracey Andrews, nephews Brian Collier, Ronald E. Spangler, III, Shane Mann, Miles Puckett, Chance Puckett, and many grandnephews and grandnieces.

There will be a visitation held on Friday, March 15, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington. A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 10:00 am, with condolences and lunch from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at Wade Family Funeral Home in Arlington. Graveside Service will follow at 2:00 pm at Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington.

While Mary Kay loved flowers and they would be so appreciated, the family knows that she would be much happier if you would provide your gift to your favorite animal charity. Her favorites included: American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation, D.E.L.T.A Rescue, and the Animal Defense League of Texas.