Verlyn Charlson Wilson

Verlyn Charlson Wilson, 81, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 4th, surrounded by her family. She was born in Gary, Indiana on October 19, 1942 to the late Evelyn Sandine and Vernon Rudolph Charlson. She graduated from Lew Wallace High School and attended Purdue University before transferring to the Nursing School at IUPUI, where she earned her BSN. She worked as a hospital and school nurse before staying home to raise three children with her husband Don, to whom she was married for 25 years.

Known for her kind heart, friendliness and warmth, Verlyn was an incredible mother who imparted countless lessons of love, wisdom and kindness to her children, international students and nieces, nephews and grandchildren. She taught the importance of “rolling with the punches”, thinking positively, and putting others above yourself. She had a knack for making people feel special, as she was genuinely interested in others which came through in virtually every interaction she had with people, no matter how brief.

She was a member of Second Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where she led the Wednesday Youth Group, volunteered with the children’s choirs, and served as a Sunday School teacher. An accomplished musician and pianist, she composed music for the Carol Choir as well as for the Great Banquet, and she would often amaze people at her ability to sit down at the piano and improvise for hours.

Verlyn was a lifelong learner. After she raised her children, she earned a Master’s Degree in Music Technology from the Indiana University School of Informatics and took up violin lessons to be able to play her great-grandfather’s violin. She combined her medical background, love of children and technological skills as a Health Educator and later Director of Technology at the Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, where she thrived and impacted the lives of many children. She developed several close friendships there and enjoyed those years immensely, describing it as one of the best and most fulfilling times in her life. In retirement she found Rodan & Fields, where she embraced wholeheartedly the opportunity to learn something new and build new friendships.

One of Verlyn’s gifts was the ability to create and share beauty around her. She carried herself with style and grace, built a home that was warm and elegant, and nurtured a large collection of plants. Living things in her care flourished, surrounding her and those who loved her with the miracle and beauty of nature in her home. In her final years, she loved visiting nurseries with her daughter Heidi to shop for plants. She could nurture just about any plant back to health and has passed this love of gardening on to her children.

Verlyn found great joy in her relationships with her grandchildren and grand-nieces and nephews. She spent summers making memories with each of them at “Camp Grandma”, where she would host one or two of them for a week, ending with a “secret trip”. She spent hours at the Children’s Museum, Conner Prairie, in the pool, in the sandbox at home, or making Swedish pancakes in her kitchen with them, as well as attending as many of their performances and events as she could! She genuinely knew each of them and loved watching them develop interests and skills, appreciating them for the unique individuals that they are.

Verlyn enjoyed traveling with her husband Pete, and they were both very active in the Indianapolis Great Banquet community. She loved “dining” in restaurants, playing music, and attending performances at Dance Kaleidoscope, Symphony on the Prairie, Jazz Kitchen and especially at the Hotel Carmichael. She treasured time with her brother Vic and sister-in-law Julie, and relied on them greatly for support over the years.

Verlyn’s strength and resiliency was never more evident than in the past three years. She handled her cancer diagnosis with determination and positivity, surprising many of her doctors with her perseverance. She charmed every caregiver and therapist who worked with her, developing a close and loving relationship with her live-in caregiver Prisca, who was her angel. Verlyn’s family was also a constant source of encouragement, support and love as she battled, and they will miss her more than words can express.

Verlyn is survived by her husband Peter Ritz, son Greg (Kristie), and daughters Heidi (Matteo) and Holly Cole (Daniel) and grandchildren A.J. Wilson, and Nathanael, Benjamin, Timothy, Matthew and Evelyn Cole. She is also survived by Donald Wilson, as well as her brother Vic (Julie) and their children Amie, Eric (Allison) and Lindsay (Cary) and multiple grand-nieces and nephews.

For information about her memorial service, please contact Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.