Homer Wilson

Homer Wilson

December 13, 1924 – May 29, 2016

Homer Wilson, 91, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born in Jabez, Kentucky to Tanie Isabella and Martin Luther Wilson. Reared during the Great Depression along with seven siblings, the family had no money and little to eat, but they had a mule, a few acres and a garden. For fun, he and some of his brothers used to sneak into the local pool hall and play until they were chased out. Homer was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, where he fought for his country in Europe and served in post-War occupation Japan. In 1945, near the last days of battle in the former Czechoslovakia, his Company D liberated two concentration camps. Although he, like many other service members, rarely talked about that time, he never forgot the faces of the survivors. A Nazarene Christian, he was a devoted husband to Ruby Abney Wilson (1946-2007), He is survived by loving companion Judy Baughin; daughter Sandi Wilson of Bethesda, Maryland and son Mike Wilson (Ellen) of Lafayette, Indiana; brother Moses (Jeanne); grandchildren Ryan Hart (Sara), Jennifer Mohandespour (Ali), Jonathan Wilson (Alyson), and David Wilson; and great-grandchildren Carson, Spencer, Marla, Cruz, Kai, Kilby Grace, Brody and Jacob. Predeceased by siblings Arvis (Ethel), Ona, Hubert (Jewell), Grady (Frances), Cosby (Elizabeth), and Hobert (Earline), he was Uncle Homer to many scores of nieces and nephews. During his final months, he was tenderly and expertly cared for by niece Darlene Kiefer and her daughter Denise Thompson-Childs. For nearly 40 years, he was a member of Springdale Church of the Nazarene and prior to that, Norwood Wesleyan Methodist Church. He taught Sunday school classes for over 30 years where he influenced a generation of young people to serve the Lord and be kind to each other. He was Sunday school superintendent and board member. As a tenor/baritone with excellent pitch and an unusually strong voice, he directed and sang in church choirs, quartets and as a soloist. For several years, he led the singing for his Sunday school class of members aged 55+, as well as for choirs, choral groups, countless services and events; he formed quartets and other groups, sang at county jails and showed his love for his Lord through music. Until a few weeks before his death, he was still singing with friends Betsy and Stephen Ingram at assisted living facilities. His love of music influenced everyone around him. For more than 55 years, Homer and Moses owned and operated Wilson Brothers Painting, one of the most highly respected and successful painting companies in Cincinnati. Their excellent reputation was built on honesty, customer loyalty, complete focus on their work and intensive labor. They did nearly all of the painting themselves and maintained professional relationships with clients and vendors. A born organizer and practical joker extraordinaire who treasured the many friendships he’d formed over a lifetime, he and Ruby attended reunions of Company D for many years. They traveled to Montana, Yellowstone National Park, California, the American Southwest, Florida, the Great Lakes and other places around the US to meet with “the guys” and reconnect. He was honored and humbled when the men in Company D asked him to be their unofficial Chaplain. Homer developed the former Sycamore Senior Center’s (Blue Ash, Ohio) inter-Senior Center pool team and set up pool tournaments between the tri-states’ Centers. He served as original secretary of the Center’s billiards league and spearheaded the acquisition of three new pool tables, sang in the Sycamore choir, coordinated donations for purchase of a new electronic keyboard, and delivered Meals on Wheels for several years. He also served as veterans’ liaison for the Center and started holding monthly luncheons to honor all veterans and their families, which proved to be hugely successful over the past eight years. Before each luncheon, Homer led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem. Dressed in his World War II uniform, he sang the National Anthem at The Cincinnati Cyclone game and the Springdale Veteran’s Memorial Park opening in November 2014. He often joked that he was considering raising the price of his autograph from 15 cents to 20 cents. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 20, 2016 from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon at Springdale Church of the Nazarene, 11177 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45246. A memorial service begins at 12:00 noon. No flowers, please. Homer and family would appreciate that any charitable donations in Homer Wilson’s name be sent to either Resurrecting Lives Foundation, 6724 Perimeter Loop Road, PMB #317, Dublin, OH, 43017 ( http://resurrectinglives.org/donors/donate ) or your favorite veterans group; 55+ Ministries at Springdale Church of the Nazarene; or American Heart Association, 5211 Madison Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45227 ( http://donatenow.heart.org ).