Ruth Pearson Wilson

is honored with a Brick from Margaret W. Bangs.

Ruth Pearson Wilson, the daughter of Swedish immigrants, grew up in a little Swedish enclave in Kansas City, MO, speaking only Swedish when she entered the pubic schools there.

She was as bright and quick-witted as she was beautiful, blond and blue-eyed. Her father had died, so her mother, my loving Swedish grandmother, always was a part of our home, as well as my cousin Jack, whose parents had divorced, when the court awarded his custody to my parents. So, although an only child, I grew up in a large and loving family.

My mother always wanted me to have every advantage possible--music, dancing and then-called elocution lessons. I am afraid I flunked in all these endeavors, but perhaps the lessons gave me some small measure of confidence.

My mother might not qualify for the more customary category of "heroine," but she was a heroine to me.

Submitted by Margaret Bangs

September 5, 1998