WWII Army Veteran and lifelong Ohio resident Wayne Herman Wilson age 85 died Saturday, March 31, 2012 at Heartland of Marion.
Wayne was born in Wyandot, Ohio on January 4, 1925, to Herbert C. and Mae (Turney) Wilson.
He grew up in Caledonia and Wyandot and graduated from Whetstone High School in 1943. In 1944, he entered the Army. He served in the South Philippines and Japan, achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant, was honorably discharged in 1946 and became a recipient of numerous awards.
Wayne returned to Marion where he soon met Maxine L. Bowers. He and Maxine, who he nicknamed Ditty, were married February 14, 1948 at Greenwood Nazarene Church in Marion. They moved to Louisville, Kentucky where Wayne attended United Television Laboratories and at graduation in 1949 he became a licensed Television Technician. The couple returned to Marion.
Although Wayne started his TV repair career at RL Andrews Electric he later established his own TV repair business, owned Sports Afloat in Galion, TV Repair in Delaware and finally Wilson's TV, sales and service in Marion. Wayne and Ditty worked side by side in business, raising a family and enjoying life.
Wayne loved boating and fishing and incorporated these favorite activities into family adventures on Lake Erie. Later, he renewed an interest in flying small airplanes and earned his private pilot's license.
Wayne was an exceptional family man with a terrific sense of humor. He and Ditty made vacations out of visiting their, out of state, grown children and families. They had a very special way of making each and every one of their grandchildren feel as if he or she was their favorite grandchild and thus, becoming very special long distant grandparents.
Wayne said "I love my work and hobbies but my kids, grandkids and great grandkids are "top shelf".
He and Maxine were members of Emanuel Lutheran Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine (Ditty) in 2010, his parents, Herbert and Mae Wilson, brothers, Sherman, Milton and Nelson Wilson and a sister, Mary Merchant.
Wayne is survived by his three children, Debbie (Dave) Kissner of Great Falls, MT., Cindy (Val) Vonderheide of Wichita, KS., and Barry (Valerie) Wilson of Fort Wayne, IN., Seven grandchildren: Dustin Kissner, Danae (Kissner) Miley, Jinger (Vonderheide) Titus, Tiffany (Vonderheide) Chaput, Seager Wilson, Gramm Wilson, Vohn Wilson, six great grandchildren, brothers: Dick, Junior and Jim Wilson all of Marion and a sister, June Lehman of Phoenix, AZ.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, April 4, 2012 @ 11 AM at the Boyd-Born Funeral Home with Pastor Mark Schuring officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be Wednesday, April 4, 2012 from 10-11 AM at the Boyd-Born Funeral Home, burial will follow at Caledonia Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to Emanuel Lutheral Church or the National Alzheimer Association. On line condolences may be expressed at www.boydbornfuneralhome.com
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