PBS TV Host Dead at 87: Daughter Confirms Death of Mary Ann Wilson

Mary Ann Wilson, who hosted the popular exercise show Sit and Be Fit for Spokane’s PBS station, died on Nov. 5 after almost four decades of bringing fitness to millions of people across the U.S. She was 87.

Wilson’s daughter, Gretchen Cowan, confirmed her mother’s passing to local CBS station KREM, praising her mother’s bravery in starting over after the death of her husband, Marine Corps Major James Wilson, due to a heart attack in 1971.

“He passed away, and it was devastating, and she never let us see that. She was so brave,” said Cowan. Moving with her four young children to Spokane, Wash., Wilson then used her skills as a nurse and aerobics instructor to create an exercise program designed for older adults.

“She taped a little pilot show and took it to all the stations,” said Cowan. In 1987, KSPS saw the potential of Sit and Be Fit, and took the program to air, filming the first 30 episodes in just 10 days.

The show became a national sensation, reaching an estimated 83 million households and earning Wilson features on the TODAY show and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The final season was filmed just two years ago, when Wilson was 85 years old.

“She considered it the honor of her lifetime to be welcomed into viewers’ homes as their exercise friend,” according to her obituary.

Wilson leaves a “legacy of kindness, compassion and love,” her obituary continues, noting that from her “first breath to her last,” Wilson was an “ongoing source of inspiration and warmth to many.”

“To her family, she was a steadfast source of mothering, support, prayer, and unconditional love,” it continues. “To her friends and community, she radiated joy and had a rare ability to connect with people, whether in person or through the television screen.”

In addition to daughter Cowan, Wilson is survived by children Jim Wilson, Amy Jo LeLaCheur, and Rob Wilson, in addition to her 12 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two half-sisters.

In lieu of flowers, mourners are encouraged to help carry on Wilson’s mission by donating to her non-profit organization, Sit and Be Fit, which has stated its intention to “honor her legacy by producing another series, featuring hours of un-aired content.” Donations can be made online at sitandbefit.org