Ella Gordon Wyrick "Tiny" Wilson

Ella (Tiny) Gordon Wyrick Wilson, 85, of Salem, died on Friday, May 3, 2019. She was the wife of Dr. Bayes Wilson, retired superintendent of Roanoke County Schools. They would have celebrated their sixty-second anniversary this November. Tiny was born in 1933 in Marion, Va. She spent her childhood and teen years in Marion before moving to Salem. She won several beauty pageants during her life in Marion including being Miss Marion of 1949. After moving to Salem, she modeled and worked for Smartwear Irving Saks and Sidneys clothing stores in downtown Roanoke along with modeling in several events. She and Bayes met in October of 1956 while he was teaching at William Byrd High School. They got married a year later on November 23,1957. Tiny was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was devoted to her family and pets. She loved to shop at the malls utilizing her clothing fashion knowledge to ensure that she and her family were properly dressed. She was predeceased in death by her parents, Grace Hawks Wyrick and Willis French Wyrick; sister, Elizabeth (Libby) Wyrick Andrews and husband, William; and sister-in-law, Joyce Wilson Dye and husband, James. Surviving is her husband, Bayes Elwood Wilson; sons, David Wayne Wilson and wife, Kimberly, of Roanoke, and John Timothy Wilson and close friend, Dr. Dianna Curtis, of Centerville; grandchildren, Charles Everett Wilson and wife, Tina, of Roanoke, Ashleigh Brooke Wilson and her life partner, Joey Gonzalez, of Norfolk, Samantha Dawn of Roanoke, and Alex Gregory Wilson of Roanoke; great-grandson, Damien Austin Wilson of Roanoke; sister, Evelyn Wyrick Thompson of Salem; and sister-in-law, Nancy Wilson Young and husband, Bruce, of Williamsburg. Tiny was very fond of her many nieces and nephews. She enjoyed an especially close and loving relationship with great-grandson, Damien; niece, Donna Thompson Link of Radford; and good friend, Shirley Garst of Salem. Special thanks are extended to the staff at Richfield Rehab for their caring medical services. A period of visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 6, 2019, in the John M. Oakey & Son Chapel in Salem. The funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at First United Methodist Church in Salem with Rev. Michael Houff, Rev. Jeff Dorsey, and Rev. Alan Combs officiating. Interment will follow at Sherwood Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Bayes E. Wilson Scholarship Fund of the Roanoke County Schools Education Foundation at 5937 Cove Road in Roanoke, Va. 24019. Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com. Service Details. Visitation When Monday, May 6th, 2019 2:00pm - 4:00pm Location John M. Oakey & Son Chapel Address 305 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, Virginia 24153 Second Visitation When Monday, May 6th, 2019 6:00pm - 8:00pm Location John M. Oakey & Son Chapel Address 305 Roanoke Boulevard Salem, Virginia 24153 Service When Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 11:00am Location First United Methodist Church Address 125 West Main Street Salem, Virginia 24153 Interment When Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 Location Sherwood Memorial Park Address 1250 East Main Street Salem, Virginia 24153