An important theme in Edith Bolling Wilson’s life was caregiving. She came from a family that was naturally inclined towards the healing arts, as her grandfather Archibald Bolling was a physician. During the Civil War, the women of her family worked as nurses. Throughout Edith’s childhood, she herself became a caregiver. As a favored grandchild, she shared a room with her grandmother Anne Bolling and helped care for her. Later, after Edith Bolling married Norman Galt, she helped to support her mother, an aunt, and several siblings. Then after Mr. Galt passed away and Edith Bolling had married President Woodrow Wilson, she reprised her caregiving role. When the President suffered a debilitating stroke, Mrs. Wilson looked after him until his death in 1924.
In honor of Mrs. Wilson’s time spent as a caregiver, The Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace is participating in National Family Caregiver Month (November). We are partnering with Wytheville Community College‘s Project Healthy Living and bringing Donna Authers to Wytheville. Ms. Authers has written a book called A Sacred Walk: Dispelling the Fear of Death and Caring for the Dying about her experiences as a caregiver and dealing with death.
Here are the event details:
- Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Snyder Auditorium, Wytheville Community College – Donna Authers is the guest speaker for “What Am I To Do? The Caregiving Challenge.”
- Friday, November 13, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at The Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum – Meet The Author and Book Signing.
Admission is free for both.
