Deborah Dianne (Vangilder) Wilson was born to E.J. Vangilder and Amelia Lurene (Seay) Vangilder on December 17, 1950, on a farm outside of Rector, Ark.

Dianne went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday January 9, 2024. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with cancer. Her faith has now been made sight.

She is preceded in death by both parents; one brother, Alvin Vangilder; and one grandchild, Sage Hayashi.

Dianne is survived by her husband, James Wilson, of the home; children: David Wilson, of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, Daniel Wilson and wife Ginny, of Granite City, Ill., Donna Mitchell and husband Tony, of Lincoln, Ark., Denise Wilson, of Bedford, Ind., Dawn Weir and husband Kyle, of Siloam Springs, Ark..; grandchildren: Aryana Davin and husband Kyle, Luke Mitchell, Kade Mitchell, Mae Hayashi, Lydia Wilson, Charis Wilson, Abigail Wilson, Amelia Weir, Emma Weir; brothers: Dennis Vangilder and wife Wanda, Andy Vangilder and wife Jill, and sister-in-law, Regina Vangilder.

Her father, E.J. was a farmer and her mother, Lurene was a homemaker and factory worker at Brown Shoe Company in Piggott, Ark. Dianne learned what hard work was from working on the family farm.

Dianne attended Rector Public Schools all twelve years of her schooling. She graduated from Rector High School in 1968 as the valedictorian of her class and then attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Education in 1972 and was among the top ten graduates of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics. She also served her junior year as the president of the UofA’s National Home Economics Association and received the Crisco Award at the yearly banquet. Dianne worked her way through college as a work study student for the Agricultural Extension Service and did house cleaning for two college professors.

While attending college, Dianne resided for a year and a half at the Girl’s 4-H House. She met James Royce Wilson in April of 1969 while representing the 4-H House in the bed race during Hallaballoo week at the UofA. A girls dorm and a boys dorm were paired together to compete in several different competitions and Jim was one of the students from Buchanan dorm who was chosen to be in the bed race. Jim asked her out on a date the next Saturday and a relationship that would last a lifetime began. In May he asked her to go steady and gave her his high school ring. In June Jim gave her an engagement ring and they got married on December 20, 1969 in Fayetteville, Ark.

The following September after graduation from the UofA, Jim joined the United States Marine Corps. Dianne remained at the UofA and completed her degree and then joined Jim in Charleston, South Carolina where he was stationed.

Jim completed his military service in September of 1972 and they moved to Brinkley, Ark., where their first child, David Royce Wilson was born on November 10, 1972. The following April they moved to Springdale, Ark., where Jim got a job with Tyson Foods as a poultry service tech. Dianne got a part time job with the Agricultural Extension Service as a 4-H Program Assistant.

In June of 1974 Dianne and Jim bought a 40 acre beef cattle farm in the Logan Community near Siloam Springs, Ark. On November 2, 1974 their second child Daniel Earl was born. On May 28 of 1976 a third child, Donna Lurene, was born and Dianne decided to be a fulltime housewife and mother. On January 7, 1979 their fourth child, Denise Renee was born. Their last child Dawn Marie was born on May 4, 1981.

Dianne returned to college as a graduate student and completed a Master of Science in Human Development with emphasis on Child Development and Marriage and Family Relationship in 1985. She began working for Shiloh Christian School as a librarian and completed a Master of Education in Instructional Resources at the UofA in 1988. Dianne taught two years as a librarian at Shiloh and then worked three years as a librarian at Northside Elementary in Siloam Springs, Ark. She then became the junior high home economics teacher at Siloam Springs where she taught for seven years. In 1997 she took a job at Elmdale Elementary in Springdale, Ark., and worked there for thirteen years before retiring. She completed 25 years in the teaching profession.

After retirement Jim and Dianne resided on their farm outside of Siloam Springs enjoying country life and spending time with family and friends. Their marriage had centered around following God’s plan for a home. They devoted their lives to teaching their children about God and His Word found in the Holy Bible. They were not a perfect couple, but did their best to bring honor and glory to God. Their service to God, their family, and their love for each other was of utmost importance to them. Their greatest desire was for all their children, children’s spouses, grandchildren and spouses, etc. to become believers and follow the Lord Jesus Christ in daily service, sharing the gospel with others, and someday joining them in heaven to live eternally.

A memorial service will be held Friday, January 19, at Sager Creek Community Church at 2 p.m. The family will be available for a visitation before the service at 12:30 p.m.