Overall, Wilcox manages to stay calm on the job. I let a lot of stuff roll off of me. But she admits that the work is not for everybody. I refer to myself as a little bit crazy for doing it as long as I have. You have to keep a good sense of humor.
Some customers leave lasting impressions.
One Saturday night, at the Water Front, Wilcox said a man asked her about her gem-studded wedding ring. She told him that if she could do it again, she would do it all in aquamarine. The man turned out to be a jeweler. Wilcox wears it around her neck on a gold chain. In 1972, Wilcox, who was born in Wichita, Kan., came to Port Aransas to be near her brother and sister.