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WILSON, Donald Robertson

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Wilson, Donald

(1922 – 2016)
 
Don passed away on Thursday, June 9th, 2016. He was the son of the late P.A. Wilson and Sofia Robertson. Born in Wheatley, Ontario on May 16, 1922, he had recently celebrated his 94th birthday. He was predeceased by his wife Lillian (Mick) in 1997 and also his brother James. Don was the beloved father of Beverly Reynolds (Don) and Lynn Wilson (Leo).  He will also be sadly missed by his grandchildren, Gayle Stanley (Peter, Tyler and Nick), Michael Reynolds (Chezlynne and Lily), Kelly McQuoid (Keith, Mitchell and Brady), Liisa Clare (Darryl and Nicholas), Filomena Gala (Scott and Amber), David Gala (Melissa, Seth and Morgan), Angela Huntley (Justin, Jevins and Tashlynn)
 
A private family celebration of Don's life will be held at Hillside Funeral Services, 362 Airport Rd, on Wednesday, June 15th.
 
Redbridge has lost its last WWII Veteran.
 
Don came to Redbridge as a very young boy. His first memory of the area was the day his father, P.A., brother James, grandmother Jane and himself travelled hours from Wheatley to a bush road in Balsam Creek. When they finally met a man on the road, Don asked how much further they had to go. The amn replied just follow the moon. By the time he was a teenager he was out working in lumber camps. He was a hard working man all of his life.
 
He married his wife “Mick” Johnston in 1940, has his first daughter the following summer, then had to leave to go overseas shortly after, leaving his wife and small child to fend for themselves for the next 4 years. Upon his return home he worked for the Department of Highways. From there he went to work in Temiskaming at the CIP pulp & paper mill. Working shifts and driving 27 miles each way was not an easy way to make a living, but except for a short time when CIP closed, he stuck it out and retired from Tembec in 1987.
 
During these years, he was busy playing and coaching baseball, curling, hunting and fishing. The 24th of May weekend, you would find him in the bush with his brother Jim and his family from Hamilton. His niece Lynda and nephews Don and Dennis still live in the Hamilton are and enjoy coming north in the summer.
 
He was also known in the community as the go to plumber, mechanic, electrician and just about any other job required in this rural area.
 
He was one of the original members and organizers of the Phelps & District ExServicemans Club (Vet’s Club).
 
In his younger years, he was involved with the Phelps United Church, singing in concerts with his neighbour and future brother in law, Doug Allen. In 2013, he donated the money required to drill a new well to help keep this little church open.
 
He also served as the maintenance man for MANY years at the Phelps & District Golden Age Club and also the sausage man for pancake breakfasts.
 
He will be missed by all that knew him.
 
Donations to the ExServicemans Club (Vets Club), Redbridge, Phelps & District Golden Age Club or the Phelps United Church would be appreciated.




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