Frances Joy Foster Wilson

Frances Joy Foster Wilson, an early Carlsbad pioneer, celebrated her 103rd year of life this past May 7th, and passed away on Thursday, November 10, 2011 in Carlsbad, NM after a brief illness. She was born in Carlsbad in 1908 to Lewis Edward Foster and Una Claire Waltz. She was the oldest child of four, her siblings being Henry Waltz Foster; Lewis Edward Foster, Jr.; and Marianne Foster Taylor. Her father was Project Manager for the Carlsbad Irrigation Project at its inception. Frances Joy graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1924 and attended two years of college, which put her all over the map of the West including San Jose and San Francisco, California; Greeley, Colorado; and Las Vegas, New Mexico. She returned to Carlsbad teaching in the Eddy County school system at Rocky Arroyo and Last Chance, New Mexico, during the years of 1927 to 1929. In 1930 she left the area to work in the Census Bureau in Washington, D.C., returning home at the time of the Great Depression in 1932. In 1933 she taught again in the Carlsbad area at the Harroun Ranch, followed by teaching jobs in Edison School and Eddy Schools until 1937. She resigned her position in 1938 to marry William Page Wilson, a Process Engineer for the U. S. Potash Company. Frances worked as a portrait and landscape artist, and was noted in the Carlsbad area for her work in oil and pastel from 1955 until 1961, where she was a student of Roderick Mead. In 1961, she moved with her family to California living in Boron, San Francisco and San Mateo over the following 24 years. Frances enrolled in San Francisco State University to finish a Bachelor's degree in Art at the age of 62. Her artwork was exhibited in numerous juried shows including the San Mateo County Fair. Frances and Page returned to Carlsbad in 1985 and lived there until Page's death in 2000. After that time, she made her home variously with her daughters in Denver, CO and then Taos, NM, returning to Carlsbad in 2009 to live at Lakeview Christian Home. She was an active member of the Carlsbad Art Association, and her work can be seen at the Carlsbad Museum and in The Old Pecos Gallery. Frances received the Carlsbad Foundation's Pioneer Award in 2002, and she has been cited by the New Mexico House of Representatives in a resolution honoring her achievements as a native of New Mexico. She is survived by her daughter-in-law Carolyn Wilson of Erie, CO; son Dr. Jon Wilson and daughter-in-law Susan Wilson of Moraga, California; her daughter Claire Brandenburg and son-in-law Jim Brandenburg of Taos, NM; and her daughter Stevia Shaw and son-in-law Michael Shaw of Atascadero, CA; and by her brother Lewis Edward Foster, Jr. of Santa Clarita, California;. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Page Wilson on January 12, 2000 and her oldest son Bill Wilson of Erie, CO, on September 15, 2009. She is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. A private family service was held and she was interred at Carlsbad Cemetery. A public Memorial Service will be held in May of 2012 at Grace Episcopal Church. The family asks that donations be made to Grace Episcopal Church, 508 West Fox Street, Carlsbad, 88220 or Lakeview Christian Home, 1905 West Pierce Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220. Denton-Wood Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.dentonwood.com.