Patricia Wilson

Patricia Maxcy Wilson Patricia Maxcy Wilson, 90, of Lake Wales, Florida, died unexpectedly on Sunday morning, March 19, at her home in Mountain Lake.  She was fortunate to enjoy excellent health and maintain an active lifestyle until her last day.           Patricia was born at home on December 18, 1926, in Frostproof, Florida, to the late Latimer Maxcy and Laura Milton Maxcy.  She spent her childhood in Frostproof until heading to Deland, Florida, for college.  At Stetson University she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and played every intramural sport available.  She met Peyton (Pat) Wilson while studying at Stetson, and they married in 1947.  After graduating with business degrees, they moved back to Frostproof and became very involved in the family businesses as well as in the community. Patricia has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Frostproof since 1939 where she served in many leadership roles with the Presbyterian Women of the Church, including as President.  She was also a member of the Presbyterian Church Business Women’s Circle, which was later renamed the “Laura Circle” after her mother who founded and had hosted the bible study for over 50 years.  She was a member of the Frostproof Chapter of the Eastern Star for many years, and in 1967-1968 was appointed to serve at the State level as the Grand Adah.  Patricia chaired the first Board of Trustees of the Latt Maxcy Memorial Library after its opening in 1978.  Because of her dedication and active involvement in this role, she was presented with the American Library Trustee Association Honor Award in 1981.  Later that year she was awarded Frostproof’s 1981 Woman of the Year. Always very involved in all school events while her children attended Frostproof schools, she served on the Bulldog Boosters and as President of the PTA.  Patricia was very proud to successfully serve in two separate years in the 1960’s as general chairman of the Red Stocking Review, an entertainment event benefiting the Frostproof PTA. She enjoyed participating and serving in many organizations including the Taxpayer’s League of Polk County and the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Sorority (25-year member).  She was very involved in family businesses as well including as President of the Maxcy Foundation (1994-2010), as President of Pat Wilson, Inc. (2009 to present), and as a Board Member of Latt Maxcy Corporation (1963 to present).  Patricia also served on Stetson University’s Board of Trustees from 1986-1996.  She was a longtime supporter and advocate of the University’s athletics program. She was chosen for Stetson’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1981 and was inducted into Stetson’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.  In that same year she was also named Stetson University Trustee Emerita.               One of Patricia’s greatest passions was philanthropy, and her focus was always education and athletics.  Through the Maxcy Foundation she continued the work her father began by providing scholarships to youth in the community as well as granting funds to many charitable organizations.  Her primary focus leaned toward her Alma Mater, Stetson University, where she made substantial donations enabling them to add to their growing campus:  in 1997 the Wilson Athletic Center was added, in 2006 the Maxcy Residence Hall was constructed, and in 2008 the Patricia Wilson Softball Field was completed.  She provided annual student athletic scholarships for both Stetson Baseball and Softball programs.  For many years Patricia also contributed to an Endowment at Clemson University for student scholarships.  Locally, she financially supported the Frostproof Art League, the Care Center, and the Latt Maxcy Memorial Library.           As much as Patricia loved philanthropy, she also enjoyed spending time with her family in Banner Elk, North Carolina, and at Boca Grande, Florida.  Some of her fondest memories were also from camp outs and social events held at both the El Maximo Ranch and the Crooked Lake Ranch.  She was proud to be an avid snow skier and made sure that her children and grandchildren had the opportunity to learn to ski as well. Her love of family and its heritage easily led to her next passion, genealogy.  She spent countless hours tracing the lineage of both the Maxcy and Milton families and completed records and books that she could share for years to come.           Patricia is preceded in death by her husband, Peyton (Pat) Wilson, and sister, Laura Jean Kuykendall of Austin, Texas. She is survived by son, Latimer “Coot” Wilson of Frostproof (wife – Mary Ruth) and their children Jacob, Caleb (wife – Jessica) and Matthew; daughter, Cindy Henry of Lake Wales (husband – Charles), and their children Seddon and Maxcy; daughter, Patricia “Jinx” Chaney of New Orleans, Louisiana (husband – Carl) and their daughter Maxcy; son, Clay Wilson of Lake Wales (wife – Heather) and their children Von and Ashley; daughter Claire “Missy” Blaylock (husband – Wilson), and their children Claire Peyton, Willie, and Wil; two great-grandchildren, Ella and Audrey; sister-in-law, Carol Wells of El Cajon, California (husband – Paul); brother-in-law, Gil Kuykendall of Austin, Texas; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be Thursday, March 23, 2017, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the Wilson residence at 122 Mountain Lake, Lake Wales.  Memorial service will be held Friday, March 24, 2017, at 11:00 am at First Presbyterian Church in Frostproof. Entombment will be private. Memorials may be sent to the Maxcy Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 3737, Lake Wales, Florida 33859; Latt Maxcy Memorial Library 15 North Magnolia Avenue, Frostproof, Florida 33843; or Stetson Athletics, c/o Office of Development, 421 North Woodland Boulevard Unit 8286, Deland, Florida 32723.