WILLIAM WILSON

William Harbinson (Bill) Wilson , Son, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather,  Sailor, Engineer, Plant Manager, Minister to Prisoners, Deacon of the Catholic Church, and Husband of 54 years to Jan Wilson died of heart failure,  18 January 2014, peacefully in his home surrounded by his friends and family.
Bill was 78 years old.
Bill was born on February 9, 1935 to Loretta Ann Wilson (Aulbach) and John Hooper Wilson in St. Louis Missouri.  He was named after his paternal grandfather, an Episcopal minister and an officer in the Navy during the First World War.  Bill grew up just outside of St. Louis on Lavida Lane, in the Spanish Lakes area.   He attended elementary school at St Aloysius Catholic School, and High School at Chaminade, graduating in 1953.    After high school Bill enlisted in the Navy, as a   Fire Control Technician (Automatic Directors) reaching the rank of Petty Officer Second Class.  He served onboard the USS HORNET (CV-12) completing two cruises to the Western Pacific, Sea of Japan, and off the Korean Peninsula, immediately following the armistice which saw the end of hostilities with North Korea.
After the Navy, Bill returned home, used his GI Bill to attend St. Louis University.  He married Janet Elsie Beiter on June 13, 1959.  Bill graduated from St. Louis University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in June of 1961.    Bill then went to work as an engineer for McDonnell Aircraft Company in St. Louis.   Bill and Jan had five children:.  William (Bill), Margaret(Peggy), Thomas, Stephen and Sandra.
During the Viet-Nam War, Bill was sent by McDonnell to be a Technical Representative to the United States Marine Corps in Cherry Point North Carolina.   Bill supported VMCJ-2 working on the F-4 Phantom II.  While supporting the Marines, Bill did a tour of duty at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of South Vietnam, supporting the Marines and their F-4 Phantoms for VMCJ-1.  He was in Da Nang in 1967-1968  and was there when the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese attacked with overwhelming force and attempted to overrun the base during the Tet Offensive.     Following his Viet Nam tour Bill did another overseas tour supporting the Marines out of Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines.
After the Viet Nam war Bill and his family moved back to the St. Louis area and eventually to New Haven, Missouri, where he joined Kellwood Company as a Senior engineer supporting the manufacture of recreational equipment.  It was in his early years in Kellwood, 1975, where he developed a tent frame, the “Wilson frame”, which not only improved the structural integrity of the tent but reduced the  aluminum required resulting in a frame that could be produced much more economically.   Bill also redesigned the bow of Kellwood’s inflatable rafts, increasing the hydrodynamics of the vessel, and reducing overall drag.  This bow design has been incorporated into inflatable craft throughout the industry and is imitated in those used today by the Navy SEALs.
Bill was promoted to plant manger of a Kellwood Plant in Bland, Missouri, and then to Plant Manager of Kellwood’s large facility in Glasgow, Missouri.  During the economic downturn of the late 70s and early 80s, as textile manufacturing was moved offshore, Kellwood was sold and their plants closed.
Bill survived the economic upheaval, gaining employment with Bag House Accessories (BHA).  First managing a plant in Slater, Missouri, and finally moving again, this time with only his wife, to become plant manager of BHA in Folkston, Georgia.  Bill was plant manager in Folkston until retiring in 1997.  Bill was a member of  the Lions, Rotary, and Knights of Columbus.
Upon retirement Bill enrolled in the deaconate program for the Diocese of Savannah and attended Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a Masters of Divinity.  Bill graduated from Loyola in 2000, and was ordained a deacon in the Catholic Church for the Diocese of Savannah in 2001.   Bill served as a deacon at St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church in Folkston, Georgia and Our Lady Star of the Sea, parish in St. Marys from 2001 until the time of his death.  Deacon Bill ministered to the sick, preached to the congregation, and gave religious instruction to adults and children.  In addition to his parish duties, he volunteered as the first Catholic deacon to minister to the prison population at the D. Ray James Correctional Facility in Folkston.   Bill as deacon, along with the rest of the parish community, oversaw the design and construction of the new St. Francis of Assisi church building on Highway 40.
Bill will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him in this life, and he leaves a legacy in both accomplishments and family that speak volumes.
He is survived by his wife, Janet, his five children and their spouses, William and Pam of Virginia Beach, VA,  Margaret (Peggy) and Keith Aholt of Arlington, TX, Tom and Anne Marie of Rapid City, SD, Stephen and Karen of Columbus, GA, and Sandra and Brad Monnig, of Glasgow, MO,.   He is survived by 13 Grandchildren:  Joseph Aholt, Stephanie Biblewski, Teresa Johnson, Christopher Aholt, Neil Monnig,  Candace Aholt, Katherine Wilson, Jacob Monnig,  Amanda Wilson,  Rachel Corpuz, Ashleigh Wilson, Zackery Wilson, Margaret Wilson,  and   8 Great Grand Children : Brooklyn Aholt,  Sophia Mitchell,  Abigail Corpuz, Grace Johnson, William (Billy) Corpuz, Mary Rose Johnson, Clark Monnig, and Michael Johnson.
Donations can be made in his name to:  Father Stephen Gergel’s Philippine Mission work at, 116 Lake Manor Dr Kingsland GA 31548, and/or the Charity Work of Father Paul O’Connell C/O St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Hwy 40, Folkston GA, 31537.
The family will receive friends Sunday, January 19 at 6:00 Pm at Shepard Funeral Home.  A Rosary will begin at 7:00 PM.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, January 20 at noon at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Folkston with Father O’Connel, Fr. Gergel and Fr. Leahy officiating.  Additional services will be held Saturday, January 25 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Glasgow, MO and the family will receive friends an hour prior to the service.  Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery in Glasgow, MO.
Shepard Funeral Home, of Folkston, Georgia and Friemonth-Freese Funeral Home in Glasgow, Missouri will be assisting the Wilson family.