Marcia Wilson

Marcia J. Wilson, September 13, 1946 – March 26, 2018 During her college years, Marcia heard Eldridge Cleaver say, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” From then on, she always tried to be on the side of the solution. After receiving her B.A. from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI in 1969, she earned a J.D. from Boalt Hall at the University of California at Berkeley, finishing her last academic year at University of New Mexico Law School. During the first half of her legal career, Marcia worked primarily with and for Native Americans, beginning at the National Indian Youth Council and later becoming the Executive Director of Indian Pueblo Legal Services. Marcia spent the second half of her career as a staff attorney for the New Mexico Court of Appeals Prehearing Division. In retirement she worked with many others for the successful repeal of the death penalty in New Mexico in 2009 and most recently with the New Mexico Women’s Justice Project on issues affecting incarcerated women. Marcia died comfortably after many years of struggle with COPD. To the end, she said, “Life is good.” She was preceded in death by her adoptive parents, John L. and Natalie S. Wilson, and brother, John S. Wilson. She is survived by her brother, Douglas H. Wilson of Wilsonville, OR; her nephew Spencer Wilson (Rachael, and their daughter Anisa) of Oakland, CA; her son Burrell L. Nikeson (Young Ha) of Anchorage, AK, her daughter Zita Nickeson (Darius Nichols) of Spokane, WA, her grandchildren Jihyeon Ha Nickeson, Kiara Hildner, Rhylan Hildner, and AyveBelle Nichols, and her great granddaughter Kaleana Magee; her aunt Virginia Pond of Chatham, MA, and her cousins Kathy Wilson of Salem, OR, Bill Wilson (Anne) of Grand Rapids, MI, and Marilyn Pond Brigham (Paul) of Northborough, MA. Donations in Marcia’s memory may be made to Solace Crisis Treatment Center, 6601 Valentine Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507