Andrea Topelius Wilson, 82, of Durham, New Hampshire, passed away on January 16, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. After a courageous fight with ALS, she left us with the same strength and grace that defined her life.

Andrea was born on December 23, 1943 to Gladys (Morin) Topelius and Harry Albert Topelius, and grew up in South Windsor, Connecticut. Andrea and her younger siblings Warren and Linnea all spent their childhood in South Windsor, where they graduated from Ellsworth Memorial High School. Some of Andrea’s happiest early memories were family trips to Cape Cod; the beach was her happy place.

After high school, Andrea attended the University of Connecticut, where she met Bruce Wilson, her husband of 62 years. They married in 1964 and settled in Vernon, Connecticut, where they welcomed two sons, Andrew and Christopher. During those early years, Andrea worked as a teacher, a role that reflected her lifelong devotion to nurturing, learning, and helping others. At the same time, Bruce worked for IBM, and the family was transferred several times throughout the US. Throughout the moves, the family cottage on Lake Dunmore in Vermont remained a cherished constant. The Wilsons spent summers there surrounded by extended family and friends. Guests could always count on her home cooked meals, drinks, music, and sometimes a bit of dancing! Whether it was within the town they lived or at the lake, Andrea easily made friends, and was always quick to join community organizations.

After her sons went off to college, Bruce took a new job in Boston and they moved to Hingham, MA where Andrea worked as a substitute teacher, a Preschool teacher, and at the Historical Society. All the while, she took great joy volunteering her time with local charitable organizations. After several years in Hingham, she and Bruce moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. There Andrea continued to stay active volunteering with the Portsmouth Garden Club, the Warner House, and other community organizations, and making many new friends.

Andrea will be remembered for her fierce love of family, her passion for gardening and flower arranging, and her Julia Child–inspired cooking. She was an avid reader and a devoted library patron, consuming books by the hundreds. Andrea loved classic movies and music and delighted in sharing them with her sons. Food was one of her great loves, and she especially cherished teaching her grandchildren to cook. Her recipes—and the memories made around the kitchen table—will live on through them.

Andrea is survived by her husband, Bruce; her sons, Andrew (Samantha) and Christopher (Sara); her seven grandchildren, Caroline, Hannahjane, Quinn, Ethan, Connor, Maya, and Theodore; her sister, Linnea Topelius Carlson Longo; her brother, H. Warren Topelius; and her many beloved nieces and nephews.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate caregivers at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Rockingham County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and Senior Helpers, as well as to all who supported Andrea in her final days.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring. In place of flowers, please consider donating to an organization that Andrea was passionate about:

ACLU to fight Trump’s agenda: https://action.aclu.org/give/now

Wentworth Douglass https://www.wdhospital.org/wdhf

ALS Association https://www.als.org/?form=general&s_src=donatebutton

Portsmouth Garden Club: https://www.portsmouthnhgardenclub.com/home

Warner House in Portsmouth, NH https://www.warnerhouse.org/

Portsmouth Historical Society: https://portsmouthhistory.org/make-a-donation/