Wesley Leon Wilson
March 06, 1918 - January 10, 2016
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Wesley Leon Wilson
March 06, 1918 - January 10, 2016
Obituary
Wesley Leon Wilson passed away on Sunday, January 10, 2016 in Mission Viejo, California. He was 97. Wesley was born in Paris, Texas in 1918, the son of Nettie and John Wilson. He grew up in Paris and graduated from Paris High School in 1936.
After high school Wesley worked in advertising for the Paris News and the local radio station, and later worked as bookkeeper for a local auto dealership.
In late 1940, with America’s entry into World War II still on the horizon, Wesley joined the United States Marine Corps where he served with distinction. Rising to the rank of Sergeant Major, he fought in the Pacific in the battles for Saipan and Okinawa and later participated in the occupation of Japan. Following the end of the war he remained in the Marine Corps and served in a variety of duty stations. In 1952, he was promoted to lieutenant, and in 1955 to the rank of Captain. Wesley retired honorably from the Corps in 1962 after over twenty years of service.
After his military retirement Wesley began a second career as an assessor with the County of Orange in southern California. He continued in this endeavor until his retirement in 1979.
In September of 1947, Wesley married Lovella M. Duggins in San Diego, California. They remained happily married for 56 years while raising their children, travelling and maintaining and supporting a wide circle of friends and family. As a member of the Catholic Church, Wesley was active in each of parishes in which he lived. In retirement, he was an active volunteer assisting patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange.
Wesley was preceded in death by his wife, Lovella; his first son, John; his parents Nettie and John; and his brother, William Wilson and sister, Dorothy Jones. He is survived by his children, David Wilson, Cynthia (Randy) McCann, Michael (Barbara) Wilson, Leslie (Charles) Raasch; his grandchildren Erin (Matthew) Daly, Nicholas (Nathalie) McCann, Leena McCann, and Annabelle Wilson; and his nieces and nephews and other relatives.
A vigil will be held at the O’Connor Mortuary, 25301 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills, California at 7 p.m. January 13, 2016. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. January 14, 2016 at St. Kilian Catholic Church, 26872 Estanciero, Mission Viejo, California. The family will be greeting friends and family immediately following the funeral mass. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, California.
In lieu of flowers Wesley had requested memorial donations be made to a charity of your choice.
2 responses to Wesley Leon Wilson
Leslie R says:
January 13, 2016
1 file added to the tribute wall
Leslie R says:
January 15, 2016
Eulogy delivered by Leslie Wilson-Raasch on 01/13/16:
I am Wesley’s youngest child, Leslie (Lisa). As the youngest (by a lot of years), my experiences growing up and my relationship with dad were pretty different than those of my older siblings. My stories are not their stories. Some of us moved from one duty station to another. Some of us were not born in CA. Some of us never saw dad in a uniform. Some of us went on many family camping trips. And, some of us traveled the world with mom & dad. We each have a unique perspective on growing up. We each have distinct and personal memories of life with our dad. So, I wondered, what thoughts and observations about dad do we all share?
In talking to each of my siblings, I realized that dad was not a complicated man. He cared about three things: God, Country, and Family.
He was a faith-filled man with a strong moral compass. Dad always attended church, quietly but proudly professed his faith in God and the Catholic Church, and his convictions never wavered, even when he suffered great personal loss, such as the death of his oldest son and his beloved wife of 56 years. Through his words and his actions, dad demonstrated his honesty and generosity many times over.
He was a self-reliant man, and had a strong sense of duty and responsibility. If he said he would do something, he did it. Even when WWII loomed on the horizon, dad voluntarily joined the Marine Corps. He told me that he joined the Marines because he wanted to defend his country, and he felt the Marines were the best of the US fighting forces. He wanted to be a part of that. Dad exemplified the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi Always Faithful.
He was unpretentious and strove to make a better life for his family. Dad was not out to impress anyone about anything, except maybe about his family. Many of dad’s friends and acquaintances have told me how he always spoke lovingly of his children and his wife. Dad saved money (and saved, and saved) to provide a better life for his family and to leave a legacy. He was devoted to mom, and he openly expressed his love for her. Dad was a, “man with a plan!” His plan was to die long before mom, because I think he couldn’t bear the thought of living without her. But, plans don’t always work out. For the past 13 years, he lived without the love of his life. But now, they are together again.
At the end, I hope dad was proud of us. And, I hope he was proud of himself. Because, even though we didn’t always agree; even though we didn’t all follow in his footsteps; even though we may not have always lived up to his expectations; I do believe that he passed on his best qualities and characteristics to his children and his grandchildren.
Despite our unique perspectives and memories of growing up, we are a strong and loving family, and that is the greatest gift he and mom could have given us.
Thank you for honoring our dad, Wesley Wilson, who was something unique to each of us a Marine, a father, a grandfather, and a friend.