Donnie Wilcox
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Donnie Joe Terry Wilcox died on April 27, 2021, age 93. Born in Marietta, she was the eleventh child of John Henry Terry and Sarah Elizabeth Osborne Terry. Donnie graduated in 1945 as Valedictorian of Marietta High School, where she served as editor of the school newspaper. Donnie was the first woman attorney of Cobb County. She received an LLB degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta in 1948 and joined the Willingham, Cheney, Hicks and Edwards law firm in Marietta. In 1949, she met James (Jim) Gerald Wilcox and they married on June 13, 1953. They had two children, James Gerald (Jerry) Wilcox, Jr. and Wendy Elizabeth Wilcox. The newlyweds served as co-presidents of the PTA of Hickory Hills Elementary School. Donnie was co-founder and president of Marietta/Cobb County Council of Garden Clubs and served on the City of Marietta's Fine Arts Committee. Marietta's mayor selected Donnie to represent Marietta in the HANDS (Home and Neighborhood Development Systems) program led by Lady Bird Johnson for the beautification of America's highways and historical places. Donnie served as trustee to the Marietta Board of Education from 1963 to 1969. During this time, Georgia integrated the black and white schools. The Marietta school board also tore down all black-only schools, remodeled and integrated white-only schools, and built a new junior high school. In 1969, Donnie, Jim and their children moved to Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Donnie worked more than 10 years in the real estate and law fields. In 1984 she became director of marketing and eventually administrator for the Canterbury, a retirement community. The Daily Breeze in Torrance honored Donnie as Business Woman of the Year in 1992 and 1994. She retired in 1996. Donnie relocated to Orange County, California, in her later years to be near family. Donnie was married for 49 years to her beloved Jim, who died in 2002. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law James G. (Jerry) Wilcox, Jr. and Janice Wilcox; daughter Wendy Wilcox Nugent; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.