Kenneth Wilson

Kenneth Neal Wilson, Ph.D.
age 96, of Wilmington, OH, passed away early Saturday morning, July 25, 2015 at the Cape May Retirement Village in Wilmington.
He was born on the family farm in Champaign County near Eris, Ohio, July 8, 1919, to Hazel Marie Neal Wilson and Lloyd Heath Wilson.  Fourteen of his great-great-grandparents were the first families of Champaign County.
He was married to Rita Wilma Mikolajewski (McClusky) on July 12, 1942.  They had just celebrated their 50th anniversary when she passed away on December 2, 1992.  On February 7, 1998, he married Alberta Bernadine Pritchard Lane.  They had many happy years together before she passed away on July 1, 2009.
Dr. Wilson was a graduate of the Urbana Junior College and The Ohio State University, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1955 with majors in agricultural education, agricultural economics, and agronomy.  He was also a graduate of the Ohio School of Banking at Ohio University and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin.
He taught vocational agriculture at New Madison High School in Darke County and Covington High School in Miami County before beginning a career in banking at the Clinton County National Bank & Trust Company, where he began as a farm loan manager in 1955 and retired as senior vice president in 1984.  Many local residents credit him with purchasing their first car or home and even "saving the family farm."
During World War II, he served in the 351st Bomb Group, Eighth Army Air Force, at RAF Polbrook Air Base, north of London as a bomb site and automatic pilot mechanic for the B-17 Flying Fortress.  A highlight of his life was taking the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., to view the World War II Memorial.
For many years, he taught part-time in the Agriculture Department at Wilmington College, serving as the general farm manager and department chair.  For his service, Roy Joe Stuckey dedicated the sales of his book, Agriculture at Wilmington College:Sixty Years and Beyond to fund the Kenneth N. Wilson Scholarship in Agriculture.
Among his proudest accomplishments were the expansion of the Clinton County National Bank and Trust into other towns and counties and the creation and expansion of the 797 Elks golf course in Wilmington.  He was honored to be named a Melvin Jones Award recipient by the Wilmington Lions Club and a Distinguished Alumnus of Urbana University.
His autobiography, Kenneth N. Wilson: Ohio Farm Boy of the 20th Century, was published for his 90th birthday celebration and is available at the public and college libraries in Wilmington and Urbana.
He is survived by his daughters- Sharon Wilson Butler, of Okatie, South Carolina, Mary Jeanne (Frank Jr) Brooks of Centerville, and Vicki (Greg Shultz) Wilson, of Wilmington; step-children- Jack Lane, Tammy (Tom) Weisenstein, and Roberta (Mike) Sharp; grandchildren- Megan Colleen (Kevin) Cassidy & Brett Wilson Butler; sister- Norma Jean Yingst; special friend- Reba Buckley; and many nieces, nephews, cousins,and friends.
In addition to his parents and wives, Ken was preceded in death by his step-children-Terry Lane and Lucinda Lane; a sister- Mary Jane Wilson and a brother-in-law- Richard O. Yingst.
Funeral Services will be held 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 1 at the Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home, 97 West Locust Street at North Mulberry Street, Wilmington.  Interment will follow in the Sugar Grove Cemetery, Wilmington, Ohio where the Wilmington American Legion Post #49 Memorial Squad will accord full military honors.
Friends will be received from 5-7 PM Friday, July 31 at Fisher-Edgington Funeral Home.
Contributions may be made to the Kenneth N. Wilson Scholarship Fund in Agriculture at Wilmington College, 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio  45177, the Community Care Hospice, PO Box 123, Wilmington, Ohio  45177, or a charity of the donor's choice. To sign the online guest book, go to edgingtonfuneralhomes.com. The family would like to express gratitude to the professionals at Cape May and Community Care Hospice for their personal and compassionate care.  At his 95th birthday party, Carolyn Ison, assistant activities director at Cape May, asked Ken for his advice and wisdom after 95 years of life.  He answered, "Be Kind."

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