Lois Wilson (activist)

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Lois Wilson circa 1970

For others sharing the same name, see Lois Wilson

Lois Wilson née Burnham (4 March 1891 – 6 October 1988) was the founder of Al-Anon, a support group for the friends and family of alcoholics. She was the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill W.

She was born into affluence in Brooklyn Heights with her father being a prominent surgeon and gynecologist. Abraham Lincoln's grandchildren were playmates of her siblings when they were young and they attended prestigious schools. Her family were adherents of Swedenborgianism, but the schools she attended in youth tended to be Quaker in nature.

Her marriage to Bill W at first seemed promising, but after miscarriages and his drinking it took a downward spiral. His rehabilitation and co-founding of AA inspired her to work on efforts for families of alcoholics. Although scattered programs concerning this had already existed in relation to AA she had been a professional woman and organizer in her own right so coalesced them into an overall organization.

Lois had endured years of unfaithfulness by her husband. Bill W. had innumerable affairs and a long-term mistress with whom he contemplated eloping to Ireland (the scandal would probably have destroyed Alcoholics Anonymous. {See Chaz Bufe: AA Cult or Cure} In his own words he described his sexual cravings. He eventually died of emphysema as a result of chainsmoking and on his death bed craved and beseeched a drink , which his followers refused him.

Interesting enough Lois inherited the 90% of Bills estate and copyright right royalities from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous , left to her by Bill. It would have been more ,had he not left the other 10% of his estate to his longstanding mistress.

The copyright of the big book was thrown into question in 1998 when AA launched a lawsuit against a german chapter of AA for copying and providing the 4th edition of a big book for free. {see www.orange-papers.org ( chapter: birth of the big book}

Both Lois and Bill Wilson were members of Frank Buchman evangelical Christian Oxford Group in which the 12 steps have their roots.{{See Ken Ragge -The real AA} Later she engaged with him in his pursuit of the occult, using a ouiji board, in the Spook Room in their basement.