Sae N. Wilson

Sae (Nakazawa) Wilson, 98, wife of the late John M. Wilson, passed away on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at Foulkeways at Gwynedd.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, she was the daughter of the late Yugiro and Sata (Sasaki) Nakazawa.

She is survived by her sister, Yoko Nakazawa, and 2 brothers, Koji Nakazawa, and Itsuzo Nakazawa, all of Japan.
Along with her husband and parents, she is predeceased by a brother, Shuich Nakazawa, and her step-son, John M. Wilson, Jr.

Sae moved to the US in 1961 as an art student to learn greeting card and gift wrapping paper design.  In 1962, she married John M. Wilson of Philadelphia.   Sae attended commercial art school in Philadelphia, the Barnes Foundation for Horticulture, and the National Garden Club Flower Show School for accreditation as a judge.

Sae was Vice-President of Ikebana International, a long-time active member of both the Old York Road Garden Club and the Outdoor Gardener's Garden Club of Chestnut Hill.  Sae was on the Board of the Friends of the Japanese Tea House.  She was an accredited and certificated judge at the Philadelphia Flower Show for several years.

Sae learned flower arranging as part of her early education in Japan.  She won three 1st prizes at the Philadelphia Spring Flower Show.  She was awarded the Margaret M. Streeper Trophy for the best arrangement using orchids.  She won eight blue ribbons as an exhibitor at the Philadelphia Flower Shows over the years.

Sae's love of horticulture, flower arranging and design earned her the respect and admiration of her friends, colleagues and associates in her Garden Clubs and Flower Shows.  Her many exhibits reflected the desirable qualities of the feminine characteristics of serenity, grace, beauty and gentleness, all qualities which describe how Sae lived her beautiful life.

Services and interment in Ivy Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia will be held on Thursday, April 24, at 11:00AM.