Gerald Dale Wilson, 84, of Russellville, formerly of Hot Springs Village, died Monday, May 23, 2005 at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville.
The son of Earl and Emma Nance Wilson, he was born September 8, 1920 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He married Wilma Blevins Wilson on June 22, 1941 at Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
He was a United States Air Force Veteran of World War II. Following the war Gerald worked in Kansas City, St. Louis and New Orleans and finally New York City for F.W. Woolworth Company of New York. He worked for the Woolworth Company for 47 years, starting out as a dishwasher and worked his way up eventually to Senior Buyer. He was a co-founder and first president of Old Pike Country Club in North Kansas City, Missouri.
He was the chairman of the building committee for Avondale Methodist Church in Kansas City. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Hot Springs Village Methodist Church and a deacon. He was an avid golfer and hunter and he enjoyed his retirement home on the 17th hole of the DeSoto Golf Course in Hot Springs Village. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and a sister, Ruth Wilson.
He is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law, Fon Diane Wilson Koelemay and Maurice W. Wilson, Longmont, CO, Cynthia Wilson Brown and Dennis W. Brown, Dardanelle; two grandsons, Andrew Martin Koelemay, Superior, CO, Stephen Wilson Koelemay, Boulder, CO; a sister and brother-in-law, Julie Farmer & Charles, Memphis, TN.
Graveside services honors will be at 2 pm Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Poplar Bluff by Humphrey Funeral Service. Memorials may be made to Wildflower Retirement Center, 240 South Inglewood, Russellville, AR 72801. A memorial service will be held at 10 am Thursday at Wildflower Retirement Center in the community room. Full military honors will follow the memorial service and will be provided by the Rogers Rye Post of the VFW.
