Mother Arlean Wilson

WILSON, Mother. Arlean - Age 81, passed away Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Henry Ford Providence Hospital-Novi, MI. Family hour 10:30 AM Saturday, May 3, 2025, at House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, 1851 W. Carpenter Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM, Pastor Dequan Ford, officiating., Pastor William Henry Johnson, Eulogist. Interment Crestwood Memorial Cemetery, 2020 East. Hill Rd., Grand Blanc, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the Church 10:30 AM Saturday. Mother Wilson will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. and may be viewed from 12:00 PM-6:00 PM Friday. Mother Arlean Wilson was born December 9, 1943, in Leland, Mississippi to the Reverend Peter and Rosie Lee Johnson. Arlean was a member of Beulah Grove Missionary Baptist church in Leland. She gave her life to Christ at an early age under the leadership of the Rev. F.T. Turner. Arlean graduated from Breisch High School and went on to be the first in her family to attend college. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Alcorn A & M College. Soon after graduating, she supervised one of the first Head Start programs in the Mississippi Delta area. Arlean’s husband, David Wilson, relocated to Flint, Michigan upon honorable discharge from the United States Army. There, he purchased a home and found stable employment working at General Motors before traveling back to Leland to claim his bride-to-be. The couple married on June 8, 1967. Upon arriving in Flint, Arlean began working as a substitute teacher for Flint Community Schools. Soon after, Arlean left the school system to work for General Motors’ Service Parts Operations as a quality parts inspector. She retired from General Motors after 25 plus years of service. Wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Arlean was a phenomenal woman. The words beautiful, smart, patient, supportive, dedicated, selfless, and caring only scratch the surface of defining her impeccable character. Arlean was a devoted wife and mother. Her beautiful daughters, Sheila and Sandra, are prime examples of the wisdom and love she poured out on a daily basis. She was a fantastic cook and talented seamstress. No one will ever duplicate her German chocolate cakes or her famous dinner rolls. Arlean also cared deeply for her church family. This was made evident through her years of dedicated service to the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church for over 50 years. Arlean loved to sing and had an exceptional voice. She utilized that voice as a soprano in the HOP choir. She also served as the superintendent of the Sunday School Department where she actively organized many vacation Bible school sessions including annual trips for the children to Cedar Point, Michigan’s Adventure, and Boblo Island. Every year for Easter, Arlean assembled and distributed Easter baskets to the youth of the church and organized and cooked with her faithful kitchen volunteers many of her famous Sunrise Service breakfasts. During her later years, she was a faithful member of the Mother’s Board and participant in the Progressive Women’s Ministry under the leadership of Irma J. Stewart. We will truly miss her smile, laughter, sense of humor, and friendship. Although our hearts ache today, we know that if we stay faithful on this Christian journey, we will be reunited with her and all the saints of God in Heaven one day. Arlean leaves to cherish her memory two daughters, Sheila Hartfield of Grand Blanc, MI and Sandra (Paul) Newby of Sun Prairie, WI. Two amazing grandsons, La’darius and La donte’ Hartfield of Grand Blanc, MI.; Two brothers: James (Stella) Johnson of Virginia Beach, VA and William Henry (Mae) Johnson of Greenville, MS. Three sisters: Louise Wilson of Flint, MI; Ruthie (Mose) Wright of Leland, MS; and Bernice Johnson of Leland, MS; Two brothers-in-law: Louvell (Katherine) Houston of Chicago, IL and Earnest (Lucindia) Wilson of Hampton, GA. Four sisters-in-law: Josephine Robison of Mt. Morris, MI; Alice (Tommie) McCall of South Holland, IL; Dorothy Wilson of Memphis, TN; and Elizabeth (Joe) Garth of Leland, MS; Three goddaughters: Clarice (Wilmer) King of Aubrey, TX; Tynee (Terence) Rogers of Dallas, TX; and Ceceilia McNeal of Swartz Creek, MI. Two godsons: Jeremiah Evans of Swartz Creek, MI and Andrew (AJ) Scott Jr. of Dallas, TX. She will be missed by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Mother Arlean Wilson was preceded in death by her devoted husband, David Wilson; parents, Reverend Peter and Rosie Lee Johnson; and two brothers, Roosevelt Johnson and Peter Johnson Jr. The family would like to thank Chaplain Shaun Gardner and the Palliative Care Team of Henry Ford Providence Hospital, the nursing staff (4th & 5th floor) of Henry Ford Providence Hospital in Novi, MI, the nursing staff (4th floor) of Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, MI, and Pastor Dequan Ford and the House of Prayer M.B. church family.

Mother Arlean Wilson

December 9, 1943 - April 22, 2025