Melinda Sue Wilson

Melinda “Mel, Melly” Sue (Hicks) Wilson, age 65, of Clear Lake, passed away peacefully on July 29th, 2024, after a short fight with cancer. She was currently living with her oldest daughter Carly, in Forest City. Per Melinda’s wishes, a celebration of life was held on June 15th, 2024, at the VFW.  A Tator Tot casserole cook-off, songs sung by great friends, and memories and love were shared with Mel while she was still here to enjoy it all.  

Melinda was born on March 11th, 1959, in Des Moines, to Wayne and Paula (Marcusen) Hicks. The youngest of four children, she joined her oldest sister Debbie Hyland, brother, Jeff Hicks and sister, Janna McQuinn. The family lived in Kansas City, Mo. In 1967 the Hicks family moved to Omaha, Neb. for Wayne’s job with Standard Oil.  Mel graduated from Burke High School with the class of 1977. More excitement was in store in 1977 as Mel moved to Clear Lake with Wayne and Paula.  Wayne and her brother, Jeff, opened the Lake Sport Shop on South Shore Drive. 

Mel would meet Steven Wilson or, as most would know him, Skeeter. Mel and Skeeter married on the 4th of July at The Little Brown Church, Nashua, in 1986. Following the 4th of July parade down main street in their limo, they threw their wedding reception at their home on Main Street.  To this union they would welcome three children, Carly Catherine in 1988, Walker Freeman in 1990 and Ivy Claire in 1995. Over the years she would also be a kitty and dog mom to many loving furry friends.

While the best job of Mel’s life was being a mom, she also held several positions over the years. Front desk clerk at the Super 8, various aid positions at the Clear Lake Public Schools, Larsen’s Mercantile, Cookies Etc, Bartender Barbie at Bird’s Landing, the Half Moon Inn, VFW; and most recently she had her own cleaning business, Mel’s Cleaning LLC; cleaning the Clear Lake Public Library.

If you needed to find her, your best bet was to find a card group.  She loved to spend her time playing cards with her friends. Her favorite card games were 500 and cribbage.  She has also enjoyed spending her time with her significant other, Howdy (Howard) Stearns. You could usually find her with her phone and tablet in hand farming, as she thoroughly enjoyed playing HayDay. She also was a very talented scrapbooker. Creating scrapbooks for each of her children to proudly display at their graduations. She also enjoyed day shopping trips early on with her daughters and later in life with her girlfriends. Shopping until they dropped!  Although her time here with us has been unfairly cut short, she has brought a spark, light, and smile into each of our hearts. Left here to remember that smile are her children, Carly (Nathan) Carper, Walker (Mallory) Wilson, Ivy (Eric) Wilson. Significant other Howdy (Howard) Stearns.  Her brother, Jeff (Leanne) Hicks and sister, Janna McQuinn. Nieces and nephews, Roben Hicks, Dorothy Hyland, Josh Hicks, Sammy Seiler, Nick McQuinn, Meghan McQuinn, Holly (Dan) Cooke, Ryan (Amber) Melhus, Sammie (Kolby) Jensen, Garrett Nichols; ex-husband and lifelong friend, Skeeter (Steven) Wilson; sisters-in-law, Barb Melhus, Lisa Nichols; brother-in-law, Tim (Nikki) Nichols.  

Those who were waiting with open arms for her in the next life adventure were her parents, Wayne and Paula; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Karen and John Nichols; and her big sister, Debbie. 

The family wishes to send a heartfelt thank you to St. Croix Hospice. Their care and love for Melinda during this time was breathtaking. 

For those wishing to make a memorial, the family encourages those to be made to either St. Croix Hospice or to the family in care of Carly Carper.