Kathryn Nell (Kay Nell) Wilson
Born in Austin, Texas on 19 July 1944
Departed on 19 July 2012
Kay Nell Wilson passed from this life to the next after a long but stubborn bout with COPD on July 19, 2012 the day of her 68th birthday. Kay Nell was born and spent her formative years in Austin, Texas. She was the daughter of Dan and Joy Shelton and granddaughter of Nellie and Tom Miller, the longest serving mayor of Austin. And oh, what a life! In cahoots with a marvelous and life-long set of friends, she grew up and relished each day as a mischievous, fun-loving, athletic and extremely talented young lady. She cast a wide net with the lifelong friendships that started as early as Casis Elementary, O'Henry Jr. High, S.F. Austin High, and memorable summers in the hill country at Camp Mystic in Kerrville, Texas.
She developed an unrelenting drive to achieve excellence in every opportunity that was presented to her, while simultaneously keeping a great sense of humor that could disarm anyone and keep any activity lighthearted and fun. Although the stories of her hijnks during those years are many, all her friends will remember the size of her heart. Her ability to love was truly remarkable. That vibrancy blossomed at the University of Texas where she continued to develop her beautiful voice as a Music Major and would later study violin, piano, and guitar. There she became a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and remained active in the alumni group for many years. It was also there she met and married Howard Pressley Hallam in 1965.

Kay Nell and Howard subsequently settled in Dallas in 1968 and began the business of raising their four children John, James, Louise and Andrew. She committed herself fully to the lives of her children running countless carpools, volunteering for PTA duties, and shuttling to and from innumerable sporting activities making her Buick Estate Wagon a second home. Kay Nell was still able to give time to various community organizations including the Junior League of Dallas, Dallas Woman's Club, and Junior Group of the Dallas Garden Club where she was President 1979-80. She particularly enjoyed sharing her passion for music through the Dallas Junior League Musical Therapy program and performing in many Junior League Follies shows. Kay Nell's church homes included St. Michael's Episcopal Church and later Church of the Incarnation when she married her second husband.

Life with Dwight P. Smith, began in 1984. They shared many great years together and particularly enjoyed spending time at their second home on Cedar Creek Lake. Kay Nell was a loving and faithful wife until his passing in 1999.

The last chapter of Kay Nell's life began in 2002 when at her 40th high school reunion she reconnected with and later married her husband Steve Wilson, an old High School beau. After Steve's retirement from The Boeing Company they returned to Austin and rekindled relationships with those friends they had developed and cherished some 50 years earlier. In keeping with the true spirit of her entire life, she continued to share that giving, nurturing heart by ministering to the spiritual and emotional needs of others despite her own debilitating disease.

Kay Nell was preceded in death by her mother, Joy Shelton and second husband, Dwight Smith. Kay Nell is survived by her father Dan Shelton and wife Barbara of Rockport, husband, Steve Wilson of Austin; son John Hallam and wife Kristina, son James Hallam and wife Rebecca, daughter Louise Hallam Collins, son Andrew Hallam and wife Natasha, all residing in Dallas; brother Reynolds Shelton and wife Dulce of Spicewood, sister Susan Helberg and husband Jon of Fort Worth. Kay Nell is also survived by her eight grandchildren Gaston, Henry, and Meredith Hallam; Georgia, Hite, and Hale Hallam; Oliver Hallam Collins, and Warren Hallam.

Please come celebrate Kay Nell's life at a memorial service on Saturday July, 28 at 1:30PM at St Matthew's Episcopal Church 8134 Mesa Drive in Austin, TX. A reception will immediately follow the service in Huffman Hall on the St. Matthew's campus. A private family committal service will take place before the service.