June 11, 2010

Source: HCJB Global-Australia

Barbara Baddeley Wilson of Melbourne, Australia, passed peacefully into the presence of the Lord the evening of Thursday, June 3, after a long battle with cancer. She was 73.

Born on April 25, 1937, she was known as a faithful servant of God with a brilliant mind. Barbara received numerous commendations as a nurse and gained the prestigious prize of a fellowship with the Australian College of Nursing. On her entry to the Melbourne Bible Institute (later to become the Bible College of Victoria), she quickly became a senior student.

After graduation, Barbara was accepted as a missionary with HCJB Global in Ecuador, serving as a nurse at Hospital Vozandes-Quito for more than 12 years (November 1963 to August 1976).

During that time the high altitude led to spinal problems, prompting her to eventually return to Australia. A major operation followed, and she was told that she could not return to the high altitude of Quito.

She was approached by the principal of the Bible College of Victoria and asked to become the dean of women. Barbara accepted, and would soon become dean of students (both men and women), a position she held for 20 years.

Another task Barbara undertook was the care of her elderly father until his death, and also in conjunction with Bruce Watkins (an HCJB Global-Australia board member) ran monthly prayer meetings for the mission.

Fourteen years ago she married Dr. Clifford Wilson, and the couple became known to tens of thousands around the world through their writing, speaking and radio broadcasts on archaeology and Bible truth.

"I had the privilege of being her husband for more than 14 wonderful years, and I thanked God for her every day," Wilson wrote. "Together we undertook a massive outreach over radio, produced many books that we authored together, and for some years we were associate editors of Australia's Christian newspaper, New Life. There has been much more we did together. Barbara's life of commitment to her Lord Jesus was absolutely total. She was an amazing woman."

Wilson described her as his lifeblood and co-worker in a very real sense in that he could not do what he's been able to do in the past decade or so without her.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by Cliff's four children, Elaine, David, Debbie and Lynette, and 34 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at Canterbury Gardens Community Church in Kilsyth South, Victoria, on Wednesday, June 9. Her life complete, Jesus' words in Matthew 25:23 certainly apply to her, "Well done, good and faithful servant."