Virginia Wilson's Obituary
Virginia Wilson, 76, of Columbia, passed away on Friday, December 5, 2025, at The Neighborhoods in Columbia, Missouri. Services will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Second Baptist Church in Columbia. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
Virginia Lee Wilson, passed away on Friday, December 5,2025 in Columbia Missouri at the age of 76. Virginia was born on May 4, 1949, in Moberly, Missouri, to Coretta Darlene Arthur and Howard Lee Smith, Sr.
Virginia served as the Director of the Small Business and Technology Development Center for the University of Missouri Extension Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for 18 years, where she led entrepreneurship and business counseling initiatives. In addition, she taught courses and seminars in entrepreneurship, business planning, and financial management. She retired from the University in 2015 after 18 years of dedicated service.
Prior to her work with the University of Missouri, she served as the Admissions Director for the evening program at Columbia College for eight years and was an Advisory Board Member for Hawthorn Bank and First Chance for Children. Before moving to Columbia in 1993, she worked as an office clerk for Orscheln Truck Lines in Moberly for 14 years. Virginia earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Columbia College and a Master of Business Administration from William Woods University.
She loved reading, politics, and—most of all—SHOPPING!
Virginia was a member of Second Baptist Church in Moberly as a child and young adult. Early in her career with the University of Missouri Extension, she lived in St. Charles, Missouri, and attended Mt. Zion Baptist Church. After transferring to the University of Missouri Extension in Columbia to be closer to and care for her mother, she became a member of Second Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia in 2009, where she sang in the Inspirational Choir, co-chaired the Finance Committee, and was an active member of the WMU. She loved the Lord, and her faith in God was unwavering. Through it all, God carried her.
Virginia leaves to cherish her memory her son, Deronne Wilson and daughter, Billie Wilson of Kansas City, Missouri; her beloved grandson, Isaiah Wilson of Denver, Colorado; and her soulmate of 17 years, James Carter of Columbia, Missouri, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Coretta Darlene Arthur; her father, Howard Lee Smith, Sr.; and her brother, Howard Lee “Bubbles” Smith, Jr.
Virginia’s legacy of faith, service, and love will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
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