Shirley Wilson

Shirley Lea Rudy Wilson passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loving family and friends.  Shirley was born January 19, 1937, in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of Russell and Mary Frances (Hankins) Rudy.

She grew up in Dayton, but soon moved to Chicago with her husband Richard. In 1977, The couple moved their young family to Hendersonville to enjoy the outdoors and boating on Old Hickory Lake. Shirley’s interest in politics led her to join the league of women voters and later to seven years of service as an alderman for Hendersonville.

Her hobby of genealogy eventually became a successful career. She was a certified genealogist for 30 years, teaching genealogy at Volunteer State Community College for 25 years and publishing a number of county record books and family histories. She was a member of the Colonel Jethro Sumner Chapter of the DAR and was a past president of the Hendersonville League of Women Voters, the Middle Tennessee Genealogical Society, the Sumner County Historical Society and Hendersonville Library Friends.  Shirley was very proud of the part she played in the establishment of the Sumner County Archives. She was on the first Sumner County Public Records Commission, serving from 1986 until her death. She also served on the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board. She was the volunteer Director of the Sumner County Archives for seven years.

Shirley was happiest on the houseboat, enjoying old hickory lake with children and grandchildren, as well as good friends and, always with a good book along for the ride. She was a loving mother and grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her husband of over 50 years, Richard Siebenthaler Wilson, as well as her parents and a brother.

She is survived by three children: Douglas Wilson (Cara) of Narrows, Virginia, Gregory Wilson of Hendersonville, and Carla Finkle (John) of Hendersonville, and five grandchildren: Sarah and Rebecca Finkle, and Maxwell, Miles, and Mitchell Wilson. A beloved sister-in-law Celia Mehaffey (Joe) of Atlanta, Georgia, a nephew Jay Barber (Teri) and two nieces Nancy Price (Dan) and Sandy Ricks (Darrell) also survive.

A memorial service is to be held at 1 P.M. on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Hendersonville Funeral Home in Hendersonville.