Zelda Mae Wilson, 82, of Dahlonega, died Dec. 22, 2016.

Born Nov. 8, 1934 in Atlanta to the late James r. and Evelyn D. Cooke, she lived in Mableton for more than 40 years before she and her husband retired to Dahlonega in 2002.

She was a 1952 graduate of West Fulton High School, where she was voted homecoming queen and Miss West Fulton.

During the summers of 1950 and 1951 she worked as a nurses' aid at the Shriners Scottish Rite Hospital in Decatur and was a member of the Atlanta Chorus, where she was awarded solo parts.

After marrying her high school sweetheart and becoming the mother of three children, she returned to DeKalb College in 1978 at the age of 44 and earned her Registered Nurses degree.

Zelda worked with the Fulton County Public Health Department with high risk infants, worked with Women's Clinics and worked for the State of Georgia Health Department auditing nursing homes. She was a certified instructor specializing in children with special needs and disabilities at the Miriam Heiskell School in Buckhead, which was one of Atlanta's first pre-schools.

In the late 1990s she volunteered at the South Cobb Arts Alliance at the Mable House, where she helped host art exhibits. She brought coats, gloves and blankets to the homeless on the streets of Atlanta and helped many families in need.

Zelda was "Nana" to her grandchildren and was their caregiver when they were young.
After moving to Dahlonega, she supported N.O.A. and the Holly Theater.

Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Ronald Wilson of Dahlonega; daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Ronald McWaters of Woodstock; sons and daughters-in-law, Drew and Tina Wilson of Cumming, Darrel and Yong Mi Wilson of Calhoun; grandchildren, David Vessels, Conner Wilson, Natalie Wilson, Jennifer Stogner; sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Thomas Radkiewicz of The Villages, Fla.; aunt, Mattie King of Loganville; several special cousins; various other relatives also survive.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Dec. 27 at the Georgia National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations were requested made to N.O.A., P.O. Box 685, Dahlonega, GA 30533.

Bearden Funeral Home of Dawsonville was in charge of the arrangements.