Don L. Wilson
January 3, 1928 ~ August 13, 2011 (age 83) 83 Years OldShare using:
Don was born January 3, 1928, in Washington, Iowa, to Sylvia Alice Mary Ribbink Wilson and Charles Ream Wilson. He was the youngest of six children, born 17 years after his oldest sibling, Ruth. He was predeceased by his parents and siblings, Ruth Simpson, Robert Wilson and Catherine Kiesey of Washington, IA, Elizabeth Cantoni of El Cajon, CA and Jack Wilson of Taos, NM.
Don joined the Iowa National Guard at the age of 16, but his first job was as a swimming instructor at the local YMCA pool in Washington, IA. He underwent training as a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor at the National Aquatic School in Wisconsin. Throughout his life he enjoyed swimming and encouraged a love of swimming in his children. After enlisting in the U.S.Army, he received a medical discharge from the Army when they discovered he had a pin in his hip from a riding accident at the age of 17, which caused one leg to be shorter than the other. His commanding officer noticed him limping after a long day of marching and sent him to the doctor for a measurement of his leg. Later in his 60s he would have that hip joint replaced. He attended community college in both Iowa and California and received an AA degree.
This Iowa farm boy moved to El Cajon, CA, in 1948 to work in his brother-in-law and sister’s feed store, Cantoni’s, and never returned.
He met Patricia Ann Martin in the summer of 1950 and they were married December 30, 1950. They celebrated 60 years of marriage on December 30, 2010.
After working his way up to the position of supervisor at Harris and Reidy Feed Company, he decided he wanted to change the direction of his career and work in jobs where he was helping people. In 1957 he became an executive with Boy Scouts of America after attending training at the National Training School for Professional Leaders in Scouting in New Jersey. He worked as a District Commissioner in El Cajon and Escondido and, as Director of Camping, was instrumental in the development of Mataguay Boy Scout Camp in Warner Springs, CA. Anyone who has ever driven to Mataguay has seen his handiwork in the sign he designed at the entrance road to camp. His inspiration was the ranch cattle brand of John Treanor, the original land owner. He also designed a building for camp check-in that could be disassembled and moved to a new location when needed.
After leaving Boy Scouts, he worked in various capacities for the City of San Diego including a program to send underprivileged children to summer camp. While working with the United Way campaign he became involved in youth development and eventually with the youth division of the Human Resources Department for the City. During this time he was also an involved member of the Downtown Rotary Club for the City of San Diego.
Leaving the City of San Diego, he assumed the position of Camp Development for the Girl Scout Council of San Diego. He again was instrumental in the development of a camp, Camp Winacka. During the time from 1964 - 1976, he also expressed his belief in the benefits of youth camps by holding positions on the National Board of The America Camping Association.
After deciding to work closer to home, he found a position with the Ramona Unified School District in the Maintenance Department, his specialty, constructing sturdy furniture such as bookcases for teacher’s classrooms. His biggest contribution to the RUSD however, was as a member of the School Board from 1977 - 1981. One project he felt proud of, and was much ahead of his time for energy conservation, was helping to implement changing all the school’s lighting to a more efficient type of lighting, also lowering energy bills for the district. During this time, he was active in the Ramona Kiwanis Club and served as both Treasurer and President. Since moving to Ramona in 1973, he was a faithful parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. In 1981 he began his last position as Director of the Ramona Senior Nutrition Program. Under his management, meal delivery to many previously unserved areas of the San Diego backcountry was begun. After 13 years he retired in 1994, but remained active in all the activities of the center including serving on the governing board until recently when his health prevented it.
He and Pat especially enjoyed traveling with “The Ramblers”, including an Alaskan cruise, Hawaiian cruise, and countless road trips to places like Rosarita Beach and Laughlin, Nevada. His greatest love in his retirement was traveling, especially to visit his children, grandchildren and old friends. Perhaps his most enjoyed trips were the two trips he and Pat took to Ireland. He also enjoyed many years of taking a different one of his children and their families to Ft. Bragg, CA, over the Fourth of July week, attending the self proclaimed “Largest Salmon Barbeque in the World”. Those are still some of the fondest memories recalled by those grandchildren. Don was up for any adventure if travel was involved. However, the farm boy in him never quite went astray and Don was always an avid gardener, ordering interesting and often unusual plants and seeds from a multitude of catalogs and often gifting them to his children and grandchildren. Weeks before his passing he was concerned with the planting of two trees in pots and called a gardener to make arrangements for their planting. Don loved a good joke and was always listening or searching, especially in the Reader’s Digest or Saturday Evening Post, for new jokes to tell at Sunday breakfast or the next gathering of family or friends.
Don is survived by his wife, Pat; eight children, Christine (Jim) Phillips of Ramona, CA, Richard (Laurie) Wilson of Keene, CA, Dennis (Mary) Wilson of Porterville, CA, Paul Wilson of Ranchita, CA; Doloris (Randy) Coit of Ridgecrest, CA, Helen (Mark Hutton) Wilson of Ramona, CA, John (Gayle) Wilson of Brookside, UT, and Cera (Roger) Malech of Morgan Hill, CA; 19 grandchildren, Jennifer, Robert, Rebecca, Donny, Jodi, Brian, Lauren, Trishia, Tori, Charlie, Jesse, Lena, Kyle, Amanda, Laura, Elizabeth, Erin, Elise and Emily; and 17 great-grandchildren, Isabell, Khloe, Shawnalise, Colby, Korynne, Donald, Tatum, Thomas, Carter, Christopher, Abbagayle, Annalise, Ellie Mae, Arianna, Tianna, Eden and Yeats. His daughter-in-law, Linda Wilson, wife of his son, Paul, passed away in 2002.
Rosary was recited Friday, August 26, 2011, at 7pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 537 E St., Ramona, CA. A Funeral Mass was held Saturday, August 27, 2011, at 10am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. An Irish Wake was held from 12-4pm at the Ramona Senior Center, 434 Aqua Lane, Ramona. In honor of Don, Hawaiian attire was requested and worn by all. The local San Diego Boy Scout Council officials read a proclamation in Don’s honor at the wake and a memorial poem read at all the Wilson family funerals, “Crossing the Bar”, by Tennyson was read. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Don’s name are requested to the Ramona Senior Center , Immaculate Heart of Mary Church or Mataguay Boy Scout Camp.
Bonham Bros. & Stewart Mortuary and Cremation Service is assisting the family.
