Eugene T. “Gene” Wilson, 87, lifelong resident of Mt. Sterling, passed from this world on June 8, 2017, at The Bluebird in London.
Gene was born in Kiousville on Feb. 24, 1930, to Martin and Elizabeth (Cartmille) Wilson.
He graduated from Fairfield School, where he loved to play basketball. He and his brothers formed a traveling basketball team with their sisters as cheerleaders and went many places to play against other teams.
Gene married the love of his life, Olive Compton, on April 10, 1950.
He loved hunting, fishing and listening to gospel and country music. Gene loved to travel, and he and Olive went many places together. He loved taking their camper to Deer Creek and to Bonita Springs in Florida, where they spent many winters making new friends and Gene playing softball.
He was a lifelong farmer and owned Wilson Certified in Mt. Sterling, but his biggest joy was his family. He loved gatherings of family and friends where he was always the story and joke teller. Gene loved to talk and never met a stranger. He liked nothing better than to tell a joke and make someone laugh.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Dick, Bob, Tom, Brad, Wayne and John.
Surviving siblings are brothers, Mart and Ray and sisters Lucy Harmon and Helen (Bob) Perry. Gene is also survived by his wife of 67 years, Olive; daughter, Mary Wilson (Bob Brainard); sons, Bob (Carol), Jim (Vicky) and David (Ann); grandchildren, Lori Wilson Knight (Karl), Holly Brainard Stage (Joe), Ryan Wilson (Carrie), Ashley Wilson Clark (Joey), Craig Wilson (Holly Eldredge), Johnny Danes (Lauretta) and Jill Cook (Hoyt Baker); great-grandchildren, Blair Brainard and Caitlyn Stage, Bethany and Caleb Wilson, Colton and Clayton Knight, Levi Wilson, Harley and Jackson Clark, Bryce and Landon Danes; great-great-granddaughter, Olivia Fultz; and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family wishes to thank the staff at The Bluebird and Heartland Hospice for their loving care.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 12, 2017, at the Porter-Tidd Funeral Home, Mt. Sterling, Rev. Jim Blankenship and Rev. Dortha Ross officiating, with the interment following in Pleasant Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Family suggests memorial contributions to Alzheimer’s Association, Central Ohio Chapter, 1379 Dublin Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43215; Heartland Hospice, 6500 Busch Blvd. #210, Columbus, Ohio 43229; or Loving Care Hospice, 56 S Oak St, PO Box 445, London, Ohio 43140.
Online condolences to www.tiddfuneralservice.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
