Willa I Wilson

Willa I. Wilson, 83, of Crawfordsville, died Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Sunrise Terrace Nursing Home in Winfield.

 Funeral services will be held Monday, September 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington, with Mike Zaws officiating. Burial will follow at the Crawfordsville Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, September 13, at the Funeral Home, with family present from2 to 4 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Mount Union Tri-T Club.

 Willa was born August 29, 1943, on a farm near Unionville, Missouri, the daughter of James Force Trent and Helen Francis Hawkins. She was the youngest of three girls and grew up helping on the family farm, including milking cows by hand. Her early education was in a country school, and she graduated from Union High School in 1960. Following high school, she worked for Better Homes and Gardens in Des Moines and later for Bendix Aviation in Davenport. In Davenport, she met Terry J. Wilson, and they were united in marriage on July 11, 1970, in Maquoketa, Iowa.

 They made their home near Wayland, where Terry taught in the WACO schools. Willa worked at the McCleary Calendar Factory in Washington and later for 14 years in food service at Washington High School, first as a baker and later as salad bar manager. Willa and Terry purchased their farm in 1974, where she lived until moving to Sunrise Terrace Nursing Home. Willa enjoyed quilting and going to garage sales, was involved with Washington County Barn Quilts, participated in Relay for Life, and donated platelets for many years. She especially enjoyed spending time with her sister. Willa had been a member of Tri-T since 1990 and treasured the friendships and memories of time spent at Camp Wyoming. 

Survivors include her sons, Tom Wilson of Blue Grass, and Monty Valentine of Davenport; sister, Beth Choate of Blue Grass; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Terry; sister, Wanda; and grandson, Dylan.