On January 17, 2018, Jennifer Molley Wilson, 55, Blackey, KY, went to be with her mother, Carrie Douglas Molley, her dogs Weezer and Lily and countless other fur babies she rescued, loved and nurtured during her life.

Her family has lost a beautiful, hilarious, creative and loving wife, mother, daughter and grandmother. The Kentucky Office of Rural Health and the University of Kentucky has lost a dedicated, creative and caring employee. The town of Blackey will miss a caring citizen. The family dogs and cat have lost their best friend and a lap that was always there for petting. Thrift stores and discount stores all over Kentucky have lost a devoted customer.

Her husband has lost the most wonderful, humorous, creative, loving, best friend he ever had.

Jennifer spent her life using her talents helping others and creating positive change. From healthcare marketing and communications with Wellmont Health, to tourism and business development with the Greater Bristol Area Chamber of Commerce to serving as Public Information Officer for the City of Bristol, VA, Jennifer always used her skillsets to make better communities. But it wasn’t just her career, it went far beyond her nine-to-five jobs (which were never nine-to-five jobs) because she was always involved in doing good for communities and causes. 

Jennifer used her talents to help the United Ways of Bristol, TN/VA and Johnson City, TN by designing brochures and fund-raising materials. Her words, written as only she could, would bring tears to readers’ eyes, resulting in greater giving.  She was instrumental in the founding of the Bristol Rhythm and Roots music festival and modeled for the first R&R poster, posed walking down the railroad tracks with guitar on her back.

Jennifer coordinated two Guinness world record scuba dives by Kingsport resident Jerry Hall, brought the NBC Today Show to Bristol for coverage and also arranged his appearances on the Montel Williams Show and PBS.

It was Jennifer’s idea, while she worked for the Chamber of Commerce, to use pink bulbs in the landmark Bristol sign to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research.

Those are only a few of the things she did to use her talents and creativity to help others. Everything she touched turned to gold, not in monetary sense necessarily, but in the warm golden glow she would create in the hearts of everyone she touched. With everything came awards and accolades. Pinnacle Awards, state and national award recognition for her work with the United Ways, local regional and national awards for her work with the scuba dives. Additionally, she earned countless awards for her clients when she owned and operated her own advertising agency, Graphic Bliss in Bristol. Many times, the organizations that won the awards tried to give them to Jennifer.

In addition to her jobs and community involvement, Jennifer also had a multitude of outside interests. Jennifer was an incredibly talented fine art photographer with a vision that could only be described as original. She received international acclaim for her work. She was an abstract painter, played the guitar and ukulele, designed and created jewelry, designed and produced clothing from recycled tee shirts, collected and smoked vintage tobacco pipes, collected vintage fountain pens, studied makeup, was a licensed bartender and was very involved in animal welfare. She was also an amazing vegan cook and could make confections so wonderful that holidays will never be the same for her family …but everyone knew to never ask her to fry eggs. That just wasn’t in her wheelhouse.

Jennifer described herself as a gypsy, having roots in Hungary and The Ukraine. Jennifer was the purest definition of a “maker.” Not only did she create things, she made smiles, she made laughter, she made happiness.  Rest in peace “Hipsta-Chick.”

In addition to the thousands who are friends and family, survivors include her husband and the love of her life, Malcolm J. Wilson, of Blackey, father, John Molley, and stepmother, Carla Twyman Molley, Johnson City, TN, daughter, Jessica Blindt, Bristol, VA, son, Seth Ryan Wilson, Johnson City, TN, daughter, Malandra Jalyne Heuglin, Prospect, KY, grandchildren, Mara, Graham and Ella Gibson, Prospect, KY, fur babies, Barnum, Sam and Lolly and cat, Kitty 2K are left behind to cherish the amazing and sometimes unbelievable memories.

A Celebration of Life for Jennifer will be at the Appalshop Theatre in Whitesburg, KY on Saturday, February 3, 1:30 p.m. The family suggests those who wish, might make expressions of sympathy to either the Letcher County Culture Hub or Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter. Culture Hub contributions can be made online --https://www.letcherculture.org/contribute -- or to Appalshop, 91 Madison Avenue, Whitesburg, KY 41858 with "Letcher County Culture Hub" designated in the donation. Contributions to Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter, should be in care of Teresa Singleton, PO Box 325, Hazard KY 41702.

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