Nellie Wilson

Nellie Rose Montague Wilson passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of August 30, 2016 at her home at Vintage Newport in Newport Beach, California. She was 82. She fought valiantly for her life as she was never a quitter. Born April 4, 1934 in New York City, she and her best friend and younger sister Mary had the run of the city as children and spent their days at the museums, the park and visiting their beloved grandfather John Robinson at his doorman job. Later her family moved to Kearny, New Jersey. Nellie left Kearny to join the Roller Derby and became famous because when she lead the jam or lapped the opposing team the announcer Dick Lane would yell "Whoa Nellie!" She met and fell in love with her husband Jack Wilson in the Derby. They were married 35 years before Jack passed in 1999. Nellie worked for Xerox for over thirty years post Roller Derby and was a beloved and award winning customer service manager. She organized the Roller Derby Has Beens reunions for many years and wrote their newsletters. She was cherished by her Roller Derby family. Her sister Mary Catena, her brother Douglas Montague, her son John Wilson, her daughters Lori Guay and Carrie Wilson, her grandchildren Robert Castorina, Danielle Marquardt, Ashley Evans, Summer Evans, her sons in law Dan Guay and Brian Marquardt and her great granddaughter Jackson Rose survive her. She will be remembered for her positive outlook, her stubbornness, her mischievousness and love of shopping. She would not want us to be sad. She would say what she always said when confronted with difficult times: "this too shall pass". Remember her with a happy heart.