Shirley Wilson

Wilson, Shirley Yvonne (Coleman) age 91, formerly of Westerville, Ohio, made her transition on 03/25/2024.

She was born to Harold and Roberta Thomas Coleman. Shirley received the Lord by baptism at age 14 and maintains membership in Olivet Institutional Church, Cleveland, Ohio.

Shirley was a graduate of Central High School in 1950. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Administration from the Ohio State University, Columbus campus in 1954. Shirley was one of twelve women of color to reside in OSU's Baker Hall dormitory as the result of racial desegregation in campus housing. Shirley obtained her master's degree in psychiatric social work.

In 1957, Shirley entered marriage to Earl B. Wilson with whom she was united for 25 years. To this union was born a son, Eric B. Wilson, in 1960.

Shirley began her professional career as a Caseworker with Franklin County Children Services. Over the course of Shirley's career, she has held management positions in the public and private sectors to include Ohio Department of Mental Retardation, Methodist Children's Home, Columbus Urban League, and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). As the Director of NCNW Childhood Immunization Program, the number of children immunized against childhood diseases in Columbus, Ohio increased. One of Shirley's memorable experiences was the in-person endorsement of the Columbus, Ohio National Immunization Program at the St. Stephen's Community Center by the late heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali. After retirement from Concord Counseling Services Mental Health Center, Shirley established a private practice under the Center for Cognitive Therapy in Gahanna, Ohio.

Shirley took her civic and community involvement seriously. As a civil rights activist, she educated Fort Hayes Career Center students on the early Freedom Riders movement to register disenfranchised southern Black citizens to vote. Shirley's volunteer contributions to the Columbus community included Westerville Progressive Democrats and Kelton House Museum and Garden's Underground Railroad program. As a volunteer, she performed dramatic presentations of historical underground railroad activists.

Shirley cherished her visits to the family homesteads in Oberlin Ohio and Amherstburg Canada. She is preceded in death by parents Harold and Roberta Coleman, brother Harold W. Coleman Jr., and Uncle Oscar Coleman. She leaves to cherish her memory, son, Eric B Wilson, Westerville, Ohio, special cousin, Valentina Arizo, California, and a host of relatives within the Thomas and McCurdy families.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 PM, Friday, April 26, 2024 at Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Home, 1370 E. Main St., Columbus, OH 43205 with Shirley Williams — Licensed Unity Teacher (LUT) officiating. The burial is at Westwood Cemetery, Oberlin, Ohio.