Stella Margaret Wilson Gilleland

Stella Margaret Wilson Gilleland passed away peacefully in hospice care at home on August 27, 2025 at age 89. She was born July 29, 1936 in Manchester, England, to Thomas A. and Margaret E. Hayward Wilson. Her mother passed away in 1942 while her father Tom was fighting with the British Army in North Africa. It took him 12 weeks to get home to England to arrange care for Stella and her brother Frank. They were shuttled around to various relatives for the balance of World War II because their father had been sent back to North Africa.

Following the war her father, Tom, met and married Josie Callaghan, a war widow with three boys. Following her high school graduation, she moved in with her step-brother Peter and his wife and immediately got an office job. In 1956 she met her future husband Robert Gilleland who was in The US Air Force. They were married in August of 1957 and moved into a flat in a converted large house in Liverpool.

They bought an Austin-Healey in October of 1957 and shipped it to the United State. In the spring of 1958 when Bob completed his Air Force enlistment they came to New York for Bob's discharge from the Air Force. The next two weeks were spent in the Austin-Healey visiting a long-time pen pal of Stella’s in Canada and many of Bob’s friends and relatives on the way from New York to Fort Worth.

Stella's first job in the US, was working as a receptionist for Bob’s parents family doctor. He liked her English accent. Stella worked while Bob returned to college, and their three children were born during this time between 1959 tent 1963. During this time, she joined Transatlantic Brides and Parents Association (TBPA).

In 1963, Bob went to work for an oil field equipment company in Garland, TX, so they moved there followed by a change of jobs in 1968 when they moved to Houston. Stella worked a number of sales related jobs including managing a trophy and awards store in Sharpstown. Both of her daughters worked in her shop while in high school. Karen has been in this business since high school and Barbara worked for a number of years as well.

Stella's British passport expired in 1962 so she decided it was time to apply for US citizenship. She was sworn in as a U.S. citizen by Dallas Federal Judge Sara T. Hughes who was sworn in by Lyndon Johnson as president following the assassination of President Kennedy.

In the following years, she made numerous trips to England. Most of the early ones were on TBPA charter flights. In later years she also visited many other places in Europe.

In 1981, following a job promotion of Bob’s, she moved to a suburb of Pittsburgh, where they lived until Bob's retirement in 1995 when they moved back to Fort Worth and bought their present home in Burleson, TX.

Stella had become active with the Daughters of the British Empire (DBE) in Pittsburgh so she continued with the Fort Worth area DBE group. She also continued with her TBPA group which became the British Club of Arlington (BCA) following the demise of the TBDA.

Stella was proud of the fact she put in 1,500 hours of volunteer work it Hugeley Hospital. She particularly enjoyed the times that Barbie and her son Austin and David and his children Matthew and Samantha lived with us.

Stella loved her flowers, particularly roses, and always had a flower garden wherever we lived. She always loved dancing and travel much of which involved going to Austin-Healey car events both in the U.S. and England. She most liked being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In recent years she enjoyed going to the Burleson Senior Center to meet with a knitting group called the Knitwits. Arthritis prevented her from knitting but she enjoyed the company of the group and they took good care of her.

The past couple of years were tough on her because of her declining health and numerous falls, congestive heart failure and kidney disease put her into hospice care. She received great care from Community Healthcare of Texas- Cleburne. All their people were caring and helpful during this trying time.

Stella was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Frank. She is survived by daughter Barbara Bucy and husband Don, son David and wife Janet, daughter Karen Gilleland. Grandchildren Austin Victor and wife Mia, Matthew Gilleland, and Samantha Gilleland. Great-grandchildren Enzo Victor and Leo Victor, numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of loving friends.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorials to Mission Arlington in Arlington, Texas, and The Salvation Army in Cleburne, Texas, or Community Healthcare of Texas-Cleburne.