Lucy Wood Wilson passed away on August 14th at home in El Cerrito, California.

She was born February 2, 1918 in Norfolk, Virginia to Arthur Lorenzo Wood and Rolande Ophelia Johnson Wood.

Lucy graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia in 1934, Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University in 1937 and Virginia Union University in 1939, receiving a B.A. in Sociology. She attended Columbia University receiving a M.S. in Library Science in 1942. Lucy started her career serving as a librarian at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia and Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut.

Lucy met Judge Charles Edward Wilson while in high school. They developed deep appreciation for each other during college and began their 55 years of marriage on July 1, 1941. She has been widowed since 1996.

In 1949, Lucy continued her career in California. She served as librarian with University of San Francisco, Oakland Public Library, University of California Berkeley, Contra Costa County Library System, Richmond Public Library, and retired from Laney Community College in 1983.
Lucy was a member of St. Peter CME Church in El Cerrito. Lucy served as the Inaugural Chair of the El Cerrito Human Relations Commission and was instrumental in founding the City’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March and Celebration. Lucy was a life member of the NAACP and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Lucy leaves to cherish her memory children, Margaret Hasan, Patricia Bolden-Smith, Deborah (Ahmed Najee-ullah), Charles (Leslie Bell-Wilson), and Wilhelmenia Wilson; grandchildren, Nyani Wheatfall, Lasha Gray, Tariq (Muslimah ‘Ali Najee-ullah), Salim Najee-ullah, and Ma’lia and Malcolm Gibson; great grandchildren, Brianna, Mekhi and Nailah Wheatfall, and Tanzeelah, Yusriyyah and Mubeen ‘Ali Najee-ullah; nephew Joseph Harrell (Carol Williams); niece Alicia Williams; and a host of family and friends.

Visitation and memorial service will be held at Sunset View Mortuary, 101 Colusa Avenue, El Cerrito on Thursday, August 25, 2016 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Funeral service will be at St. Peter CME Church, 5324 Cypress Street, El Cerrito on Friday, August 26th at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the El Cerrito NAACP / Scholarship Fund, PO Box 844, El Cerrito, CA 94530.