Helen "Hope" Sauerwein Wilson, 82, formerly of Arlington, VA and currently residing in Charleston, passed away on Saturday, September 20, 2008.

Hope was born November 14, 1925 in Morgantown, WV. In 1947 she was the first female civil engineering graduate from WVU, and was part of the design team for the Star City Bridge. She traveled the world for the next 25 years as the wife of an army officer.

Hope was a loving wife and mother. Her interests were many and her talents considerable. Her expertise ranged from gourmet cooking, gardener extraordinaire, and expert seamstress and tailor, to bridge, golf and leadership roles in volunteer church, school, and community activities.

She was a gracious hostess opening her home to friends and acquaintances, and was a consummate letter writer, maintaining friendships around the world. But her children and grandchildren will remember her most for the fun and adventure she brought to their lives, through hours of reading, crafts, scouting, family game nights, baking cookies, nature hikes, cultural activities, and touring the many locations they lived.

Hope was loved by many and will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto Karl Sauerwein and Florence Virginia Williams Sauerwein. She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Col. Minter L. Wilson, Jr. of Charleston, WV; her four children and their spouses, Mary W. and Joe Caldwell of Charleston, WV, Barbara Ann Blankenship of Fayetteville, WV, Karen L. and Tom Wiese of Dallas, TX, and Stephen D. Wilson of Dallas, TX; ten grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service in celebration of Hope's life will be held 2 p.m., Sunday, September 28, at Edgewood Summit, Charleston.

In Arlington, VA a memorial service will be held at The Church of the Covenant on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Church of the Covenant, 2666 Military Road, Arlington, VA 22207; to the Helen Hope Sauerwein Engineering Scholarship for female engineering students at WVU, made out to "WVU Foundation" (write "ID# 3Z153" on the memo line) and mailed to WVU Foundation, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507; or to Unity of Kanawha Valley, 3102 Blaine Blvd, Charleston, WV 25312.