Joan Brown Wellons

Joan Brown Wellons February 1, 1944 – August 2, 2019 Joan Brown Wellons, 75, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, found her eternal peace Friday, August 2, 2019, in Raleigh. Born in Smithfield, on February 1, 1944, Joan cherished gardening, animals, her friends, and most of all, her beloved family. Joan’s roots were in Selma, but she became a world traveler early, living in Livorno, Italy, and West Point, New York, during her teenage years, thanks to her father’s military service. After returning to North Carolina and graduating from Selma High School, Joan met and married the love of her life, Robert “Bob” Leon Wellons. They settled in Wilson, where they shared fifty-four wonderful years with family and friends until Bob’s passing in January 2014. After “raising” the neighborhood kids as “Miss Joan” and taking care of loved ones for several years, Joan pursued her higher calling, Nursing, something she had always desired. Her amazing passion and intellect allowed her to work all day and study at night, all while raising two rowdy boys, ultimately receiving the President’s Award for perfect grades in Wilson Community College Nursing School. She became a Registered Nurse in 1978 and later joined the Beta Sigma Phi social sorority, both helping her continue her already long career of caring for others. In 1983, Beta Sigma Phi voted Joan “Volunteer of the Year” for her work with hearing-impaired children. After their retirement, Bob and Joan took the time to travel. Some of their favorite trips together included Charlotte, Dallas, Key West, Las Vegas, the Alaska Coast, and Vancouver, British Columbia. And the beach…they both adored the beautiful North Carolina beaches, and many happy times were spent there with beloved family and friends. After Bob’s passing, Joan continued to follow her passion for travel visiting her sons, as well as traveling to Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Galveston, New York, and the mountains of western North Carolina. Joan is survived by her son and son-in-law, Leon Wellons and Corey Trautvetter of Dallas, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Wesley and Christine Gill Wellons of Fort Mill, South Carolina, and two beautiful granddaughters, Eden Olivia and Kate Elizabeth. She is further survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Marca Shrum Brown, sisters-in-law, Jo Ann Anderson Wellons and Bee Keene Wellons, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Donald and Joyce Wellons Jones. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including one very special niece, Cyndi Brown and husband Richard Taylor, and their son, Dashiell. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, her parents, John W. and Rachel Carter Brown, and her beloved pups, Brownie, Wrinkles, Prissy, Puddin’ and Lady. Please join the family to share memories of Joan’s life this Saturday, August 10, from 12:00pm to 1:45pm at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson. A graveside service will follow at 2:15pm at Selma Memorial Gardens, 1350 S. Pollock Street, Selma. Flowers are welcome, or memorial donations may be directed to Second Chance Pet Adoptions (www.SecondChanceNC.org) or to the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health (www.JohnRitterFoundation.org). “I loved the quiet things, the flowers and the dew, Field mice; birds singing; and the frost that shone On winter windows when the cold came; And autumn mists subduing hill and plain, And last and best, a gentle laugh with friends and family.” --Vera Arlett   Condolences may be directed to www.joyners.net.