Her house is full of memories that have gravitated toward her, not because she asked for them or collected them, but because people went away and the memories needed a place to stay. They are other people’s memories.
She’s a widow. Her husband, Grant Paul Wilson Jr., died in 2007 from diabetes complications. Her mother, Jean A. Johnson, died two years ago. She has three sons, but doesn’t see them much. The eldest, David, lives in Richmond, Ky., with a 7-year-old daughter, but he works a night shift and sleeps during the day. She doesn’t like to bother him because she knows that he’s busy. Her middle son, Jonathon, is in Afghanistan serving his second tour, and her third son, Nicholas, lives 10 hours away in Washington D.C.
She comes home to silence, antique furniture that belonged to her husband, unhung art work, boxes filled with papers, a collection of her children’s stuffed animals. Jonathon’s old trophies, his pool table, a large sword collection and everything else that her son had stored in her mother-in-law’s house migrated to her basement when her mother-in-law died.
She should make space, clean and organize, but she doesn’t have the time. Her home is a place of rest. At night she only has a conversation with her television because during the day she has a conversation with her city. She’s alone, but she doesn’t feel alone. Somerset is her family.
Somerset loves Elaine Wilson, and Elaine Wilson loves Somerset.
As a director, a president and a board member she supports her city — every second Monday of the month at 9 a.m., every second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m., every Monday at noon, every Tuesday at 7 p.m., every Wednesday at 6 p.m., and every day from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sometimes her jobs overlap, but “to-do lists,” written and vocalized, help Elaine maintain balance.
She is like a mother to the Rotary Club, the Hospice of Lake Cumberland, Somerset Independent Schools, First Baptist Church, and the Professional Development and Cultural Diversity program at Somerset Community College. She tries to love all of her children equally.
She says she wants to give back to the community and to educate people about cultural similarities rather than differences. To her everyone is equal. She preaches it, and she practices it.
Her mother taught her that. Growing up in a poor neighborhood in Lexington, she was told by her mother that no one was better than her. Her mother’s words gave her the ability to walk with confidence into a room with any kind of people. For Elaine everyone is the same, but for the community she is something special.
“She’s just a wonderful lady,” says Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler. “She makes an immediate impact on people because of her passion and compassion.”
The mayor, her colleagues, the maintenance staff, her neighbors, people in the Kmart parking lot, Somerset librarians, the choir director, and all the children at the community college’s International Festival, are a part of the Elaine Wilson universal law of love.
She directs them, hugs them and makes them laugh.
She is the town’s adopted mother and she can’t help but naturally love them back. They have all adopted her as their mother, their best and she equally adopted back.
