Lena Savoie
Bill W., or Mr. Wilson, was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which has been described as one of the greatest social organizations ever known. Wilson himself was a recovering alcoholic, having stopped drinking at the age of 40. He remained sober for the last 35 years of his life. Wilson's wife, Lois, remained loyal to him during his years of active alcoholism and later worked by his side to help other alcoholics. She also worked in a department store to support the family during the early years of the program. Lois Wilson founded the Al-Anon and Alateen groups, which support the spouses and children of problem drinkers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Bill W.'s wife | Lois |
| Her role in dealing with his alcohol abuse | Remained loyal during his years as a "falling down" drunk; worked with him to aid other alcoholics; founded the Al-Anon and Alateen groups to help spouses and children of problem drinkers |
| Other efforts to help Bill W. | Encouraged travel to keep him from drinking; Participated in LSD experiments that Bill W. believed could help eliminate barriers to spiritual experiences; Participated in séances and other unusual practices |
| Challenges | Bill W.'s drinking alarmed her and his business associates; she had to work in a department store to augment the family income |
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What You'll Learn
Lois Wilson remained loyal to her husband during his alcoholism
Lois Wilson remained loyal to her husband, Bill W. (Mr. Wilson), during his alcoholism. She was by his side when he died and supported him throughout his journey with alcohol addiction and recovery. Lois even worked alongside her husband to help other alcoholics, and she went on to found the Al-Anon and Alateen groups, which support spouses and children of problem drinkers.
Lois and Bill Wilson were a couple who travelled together for work, evaluating companies for potential investors. Lois hoped that travelling would keep her husband from drinking, but his alcoholism ruined his reputation and made business impossible. Wilson's drinking worsened to the point where it alarmed his wife and business associates, who began to turn away from him. In 1929, the couple moved into Lois' childhood home, and Wilson's drinking escalated to a chronic and desperate state.
Lois remained loyal to her husband during his years of active alcoholism. She was by his side when he checked into Towns Hospital in Manhattan for alcohol addiction treatment in 1933 and 1934. It was during this time that Wilson got the inspiration for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and he worked with a physician to create a new approach to ending their addiction to drink. Wilson shared his "experience, strength and hope" in hundreds of talks and writings, and he declined a salary for his work with AA.
Lois supported her husband and herself with the royalties from four AA books, and she also worked in a department store to augment the family income. The couple bought a house called Stepping Stones in Katonah, New York, in 1941, and Wilson lived there with Lois until he died in 1971. Despite her husband's infidelities, Lois remained loyal and committed to supporting him and his work with AA.
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She worked in a department store to support the family
Bill W., also known as Mr. Wilson, was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Wilson himself was an alcoholic and had a tumultuous relationship with alcohol. His wife, Lois, remained loyal to him during his years as a "falling down" drunk. She worked in a department store to support the family and augment the family income. Wilson supported himself and his wife with royalties from four AA books: "Alcoholics Anonymous", "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions", "Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age", and "The AA Way of Life".
Lois Wilson also played an active role in aiding her husband to overcome his alcoholism. She travelled with him on business trips, hoping that the travel would keep him from drinking. However, Wilson's drinking habit ruined his reputation and made business impossible. In 1933, he was admitted to the Charles B. Towns Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City. It was during this hospitalization that he got the inspiration for a better program to combat addiction.
Lois Wilson was also involved in her husband's work with AA. She was a founder of the Al-Anon and Alateen groups, which address the fears and insecurities experienced by the spouses and children of problem drinkers. The Wilsons also had a spook room in their house, where they would invite guests to participate in séances using a Ouija board. Wilson's wife remained by his side until he died in 1971.
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She travelled with her husband to keep him from drinking
Bill W. (Mr. Wilson) was a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and his wife, Lois, supported him throughout his journey to sobriety and beyond. She travelled with her husband in the hopes that it would keep him from drinking, but his constant drinking ruined his reputation and made business impossible.
Lois Wilson remained loyal to her husband during his years as a "falling down" drunk and later worked alongside him to help other alcoholics. She founded the Al-Anon and Alateen groups, which help spouses and children of problem drinkers deal with their fears and insecurities. Lois worked in a department store to augment the family income during the early years of the program.
Bill Wilson's drinking worsened in the late 1920s, to the point where it alarmed his wife and business associates. After the stock market crash in 1929, Wilson's funds disappeared, but his self-confidence remained. He turned to alcohol as a penance for his problems, drinking bathtub gin, bootleg whiskey, and New Jersey applejack. Wilson's drinking also affected his career, as he failed to graduate from law school because he was too drunk to pick up his diploma.
In late 1934, Wilson's old friend Ebby Thacher (or Ebby T.) visited him and shared that he had stopped drinking through his association with the Oxford Group, a spiritual fellowship. Thacher's sobriety inspired Wilson, and he soon entered Towns Hospital in Manhattan for treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction. It was during this hospitalization that he got the inspiration for Alcoholics Anonymous.
Wilson shared his "experience, strength, and hope" in hundreds of talks and writings, always mindful that he was "just another guy named Bill who can't handle booze." He declined a salary for his work with AA and supported himself and his wife with royalties from four AA books. Wilson remained sober for the last 35 years of his life, dedicating his energy to the growth and development of AA.
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She founded Al-Anon and Alateen to help families of alcoholics
Bill W., also known as Mr. Wilson, was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Wilson's wife, Lois, supported him throughout his alcoholism and remained loyal during his years as a "falling down" drunk. She even travelled with him on business trips, hoping that travelling would keep him from drinking. However, Wilson's drinking worsened to the point that it alarmed his wife and business associates. Lois was by her husband's side when he died in 1971 and worked with him to help other alcoholics.
Lois Wilson founded Al-Anon and Alateen, which help families of alcoholics. These groups address the fears and insecurity suffered by spouses and children of problem drinkers. They focus on the impact of alcoholism on the families and provide support and guidance. Lois recognised the need for such groups, having experienced firsthand the challenges of living with an alcoholic spouse.
Al-Anon provides a safe and supportive environment for spouses and partners of alcoholics. It offers understanding, encouragement, and practical advice to help them cope with the effects of their partner's drinking. Al-Anon meetings provide a space for members to share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with one another. They follow a set of principles, including anonymity, mutual support, and spiritual growth, which align with the 12-step recovery programme of AA.
Alateen is a similar fellowship designed specifically for teenagers and young adults who are affected by someone else's drinking. It could be a parent, guardian, sibling, or other family member whose alcoholism is causing them pain and confusion. Alateen meetings provide a safe space for young people to share their experiences and emotions without fear of judgement. The group is led by its members, who take turns chairing meetings and sharing their recovery stories. Alateen also emphasises the importance of anonymity, encouraging members to keep what they hear in meetings confidential.
Lois Wilson's contribution through Al-Anon and Alateen has been instrumental in providing support and healing to families affected by alcoholism. Her efforts have helped countless individuals find hope and recovery, addressing the impact of alcoholism on the family unit.
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She took LSD at her husband's insistence
Bill W., or Mr. Wilson, was a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and his wife, Lois Wilson, remained loyal to him during his years as a "falling down" drunk. She worked at his side to help other alcoholics and is a founder of the Al-Anon and Alateen groups, which deal with the fears and insecurities suffered by spouses and children of problem drinkers.
Lois and Bill Wilson travelled together to evaluate companies for potential investors. Lois hoped that the travel would keep Wilson from drinking, but his constant drinking ruined his reputation and made business impossible.
Lois Wilson remained by her husband's side during his experiments with LSD in the 1950s. At Wilson's insistence, she took LSD, but claimed to not experience anything. Wilson, on the other hand, felt that his LSD experiences helped him eliminate many barriers erected by the self, or ego, that stood in the way of his direct experience of the cosmos and of God.
Wilson's practices created controversy within the AA membership. He and his wife continued with their unusual practices, including inviting guests to participate in séances using a Ouija board in their "spook room".
Lois Wilson remained with her husband despite his infidelity and sexual behaviour that caused controversy and concern throughout the AA community.
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Frequently asked questions
Bill W.'s drinking alarmed his wife, Lois, who tried to keep him from drinking by travelling with him on business trips. However, his constant drinking ruined his reputation and made business impossible. Lois remained loyal during his years as a "falling down" drunk and later worked with him to aid other alcoholics.
Yes, Bill W. had several affairs with other women, including a 15-year affair with Helen Wynn, a woman 18 years his junior. He also had other mistresses and cheated on his wife by exploiting vulnerable women in the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
Yes, Bill W. stopped drinking when he was 40 years old and remained sober for the remaining 35 years of his life. He was inspired to stop drinking by his friend Ebby T(hacher), who had attained freedom from his drinking compulsion with help from the First Century Christian Fellowship (now Moral Re-Armament).
