Jean Wilson

(From Greenfield Funeral Chapel)

Phyllis Jean (Adams) Wilson, lovingly known as Jean, passed away on September 22, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of beautiful memories and a family forever changed by the love she gave so freely.

Jean was born March 10, 1938, in Filley, Missouri, to Jesse Everett and Velma Caroline (Sallee) Adams. She graduated from El Dorado Springs High School in 1956. Not long after high school, Jean met the love of her life, John Douglas “JD” Wilson. The two were married on February 17, 1957, in Savannah, Georgia, beginning a life together that would be filled with family, hard work, laughter and countless memories. Together they raised three children, Tammy, John Douglas Jr., and Karen.

Jean began working at International Shoe Company after high school, where she remained until 1958. She then devoted herself to being a homemaker and raising her children. In 1969, Jean and JD purchased Adams Grill, which they owned and operated until 1976. She later worked for Vernal Henry Insurance before beginning her career with Cedar County Abstract, where she remained until her retirement.

But the jobs Jean held throughout her life could never fully describe the work that mattered most to her. Her greatest accomplishment was her family. Jean poured herself into raising her children and later found one of life's greatest joys in loving and thoroughly spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had a way of making the people she loved feel cared for, and the impact of that love will continue through generations of her family.

Jean appreciated beautiful things and had a creative spirit. She loved music and painting and found joy in the things that brought beauty into everyday life. She and JD also shared a great love for quarter horses and owned many throughout their years together, creating memories around something they both enjoyed immensely.

And then there was Jean's cooking. She was a top-notch cook, and anyone who attended a family gathering knew that when Jean brought one of her pies, you had better get a piece before it disappeared. People would gather around waiting for a slice, and those pies became about much more than dessert. They were so popular JD built her a pie safe to carry them four at a time. Like so many things Jean did, feeding people was simply another way she showed her love.

Jean's life was not measured by possessions or titles, but by the people she loved and the lives she touched. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, caretaker, cook, artist, and the heart of a family that will feel her absence deeply.

Those fortunate enough to know Jean will remember her in different ways the sound of her laughter, something she cooked, a story she told, a song she loved, her appreciation for beautiful things, or simply the feeling of being loved by her.

Jean was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Douglas “JD” Wilson; her daughter, Karen; her parents, Jesse Everett and Velma Caroline Adams; and her in-laws, Harold and Ruby Wilson.

She is survived by her daughter, Tammy Mitts of the home; her son, John Douglas Wilson Jr.; her grandchildren, Amanda Murphy, Sarah Hart and husband Mike, Josh Wilson and wife Mary, Jessica Wilson, and Adam Wilson and wife Maggie; and her great-grandchildren, Teyler, Emma, Lucy Poore, Race, Lydiah, Jameson, Heavyn, Michael, Austin Hart, Alyssa, Brayden, Clayton, and Glen Wilson.

Jean leaves behind more than a family tree filled with people who loved her. She leaves behind traditions, stories, recipes, laughter, lessons, and memories that will be repeated around family tables for years to come. After a lifetime spent loving and caring for those around her, Jean is now reunited with those she missed so dearly, her husband, JD, and her daughter, Karen. Her family will miss her more than words can adequately express, but they will carry her with them in all the little things she left behind.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, at the First Baptist Church of El Dorado Springs. The family will receive friends on Friday at 1:00 p.m. until service time at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society. Services are under the care of Greenfield Funeral Chapel.