MEMPHIS — Ella Veazey Wilson
was born August 12, 1938, in Coldwater, Miss. She died June 6, 2021, after a brief illness. She attended Coldwater High School, Gulf Park Academy, and the University of Mississippi. She married Sam Gully and then moved to Memphis and welcomed three wonderful children. She was active in St. John’s Episcopal Church. She was a member of the Ikebana Garden Club and a Le Bonheur Pink Lady.
During the middle part of her life she was married to Charles Taylor and traveled between Senatobia, Miss., and Heber Springs, Ark. She was a member of both the Medley Club and Magnolia Garden Club. She excelled at bridge, was a member of the ACBL, and a Master bridge player. She loved entertaining close friends, The Red River Rollers, fishing on the Little Red River, teaching and playing bridge with her beloved friends in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. She was a real estate broker in Mississippi and Arkansas. She was active in Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Como and St. Francis Episcopal Church in Heber Springs.
In the latter period of her life, she returned to Memphis and was an active member of Christ Church where she held a special place in her heart for the Lamplighter Sunday School. She belonged to the 20th Century Garden Club, enjoyed playing bridge, and baking rum cakes. Ella loved her sister, children, grandchildren, and especially babysitting her great-grandchildren weekly. She was blessed to meet and marry Robert L. Wilson and they enjoyed traveling together.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Rivers and Woodson Veazey and son, Edwin Gully.
She is survived by her husband, Robert L. Wilson; one son, George Gully, Sr. (Jane); one daughter, Veazey Krausnick (Collie); one stepdaughter, Valerie Wilson Giblin (Greg); four grandchildren, George Gully, Jr. (Leslie), Edwin Gully, Elizabeth Malmo (Donnie), and Carl Krausnick; two step-grandchildren, Seamus Giblin and Harvey Giblin; four great-grandchildren, Andy Malmo, Rivers Malmo, Veazey Malmo, and Griffin Gully; and her sister, Vivian Randall; and nephew, Shea Randall.
Nana’s energy, thoughtfulness, and adventurous spirit will be so greatly missed. She concluded her life with the best hand of cards, always giving the praise away with her endless generosity and love.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Christ Church, 4488 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tenn. 38117, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3245 Central Avenue, Memphis, Tenn. 38111 or The Children’s Museum of Memphis, 2527 Central Avenue, Memphis, Tenn. 38104.
A 2:00 funeral service will be held Thursday at The Wilson Chapel at Christ Church followed by Interment at the Cemetery of Saint John’s Episcopal Church. A reception will be held at the Parish Hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church at 3:00 to celebrate Ella’s life.