MARIETTA, Georgia — She was born on June 1, 1948 in nearby Fayetteville, Georgia.
She is one of eleven children — the No. 8 child to be technical — born to Melvin (Jack) and Iula (Roxie) Glass, Sr.
She was raised in what was considered a Christian-oriented environment and her upbringing was comprised mostly of having been a product of the Fayette County Public School System, during which she had graduated from Fayette County High School in 1966.
To her credit, she was determined not to settle for having earned a high school diploma.
Heck, if nothing else, she was destined to broaden her horizon and, because of her quest to achieve educational excellence, she ultimately advanced her education by enrolling at the Atlanta Technical College, where her solid work ethic had eventually given way to her having earned the Certificate of Business Administration in 1968.
Widely known as “Mary,” Marietta Glass Wilson is an Atlanta-area icon in her own right according to Matthew Brown, TH.D., the Senior Pastor of Greater Community Church of God In Christ.
By and large, is it due in large part because of Wilson’s tireless contributions to the Body of Christ that have greatly inspired Brown and the GCC congregation to acknowledge Wilson for her well-publicized and influential impact to her church and community, an honor that will be highlighted by GCC officials unveiling the Marietta Wilson Entrepreneurial Program in her honor as a longtime entrepreneur, one who dedicated her professional life assisting and serving others.
Surely, Wilson undoubtedly has paid her immeasurable dues as one of GCC’s most celebrated members as well as an ambassador to her community.
Prior to assuming her last assignment as a local claims representative for the Social Security Administration in this area, Wilson was employed by the federal government, a stint she held for 42 years before she announced her ceremonious retirement.
According to a GCC spokesperson, this
local-church-based program will assist emerging entrepreneurs and enthusiasts in the community with basic business skills training to assist transitioning their business and connect with regional entrepreneurial centers for capacity building and extensive
training.
“Serving others was her passion as shown through her service to the people of God,” Brown told Making Headline News. “God favored her with the knowledge to serve her clients professionally and with wisdom to minister to them. She would often ask them, ‘May I present Jesus to you?’”
Much to her delight, Wilson’s remarkable work ethic was formed at an early age, a trend that eventually gave way to her possessing her first job that mostly involved restocking the candy shelf at the local grocery store.
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In addition, she worked for various families in the community as a way to purchase school clothes.
Interesting, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, Wilson appropriately response was “a business tycoon.”
The rest, as they say, was history.
That’s because Wilson had ultimately become the founder and CEO of several businesses, most notably the R.E.A.C.H. Center at Greater Community, a venture that focuses largely on education by providing GED training, tutorial services for Reading, English, Arithmetic (Math), Computer Literacy and Health.
Armed with what her peers described as a “sincere desire to see the Saints beautifully-dressed,” Wilson is responsible for having created a Mary’s Traveling Boutique, a venture that allows her to provide high-end designer clothing for men and women and would travel to various locations to display them.
Moreover, she also credited for having given away many items when her customers could not pay and her desire to see the Saints’ homes well-furnished eventually led her to creating That Personal Touch Interiors business venture.
Having entered Holy Matrimony with Robert L. Wilson on June 20, 1971, the Wilsons were blessed with two children — their son, Robert II, and their daughter, Leslie.
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Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to andre@makingheadlinenews.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.