George Morelle Wilson Jr., 93
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 12 years, 9 months AGO
George Morelle Wilson Jr. was born July 14, 1918, in Omaha, Neb., to Frances and George M. Wilson Sr. He passed away March 21, 2012, in Coeur d'Alene. George graduated from Creighton Prep in 1937 and Creighton University, Jesuit schools in Omaha in 1950 with a six-year interruption in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Part of his service was a Pharmacist 1st class and later Chief Pharmacist’s Mate on USS Strength sweeping mines before invasions of Okinawa and Iwo Jima. The ship survived a typhoon, near misses by kamikaze and a submarine torpedo.
He retired as budget and fiscal officer for the Department of Defense at the naval air rework facility in San Diego, Calif., in 1978 and moved to Coeur d’Alene where he enjoyed many years of fishing and golfing. He was Grand Knight for the Lakewood, Calif., Knights of Columbus in 1954. He was the Idaho Federation President for the National Association of Retired Federal Employees from 1982 to 1985. George was on the finance committee for the Coeur d’Alene Centennial in 1987 and served as Grand Marshall for the Fourth of July parade. He also served a term as Secretary-Treasurer of the Coeur d’Alene Public Golf Course and volunteered for the AARP Income tax Assistance and at the Hayden library.
George leaves behind his wife, Lillian (whom he met at an afternoon USO dance at the famous Earl Carroll nightclub) of 68 years; sons, Michael (Anne) of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Raymond (Rose) of Alpine, Calif., Philip of Menlow Park, Calif., Paul (Arunee) of Lynnwood, Wash., Edward (Kari) of Nampa; daughter Diane Hamann (Michael) of Enterprise, Ore.; four granddaughters; two grandsons; two great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter; several nephews; one niece and several cousins.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother Donald and sister Mary Jane Muenker.
He was a member of St. Pius X Church since 1978. His family is grateful for the care given to him by Dr. McFarland, Hospice of North Idaho and Creekside Inn.
Family suggests memorials to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835; St. Vincent de Paul, 201 E. Harrison, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814; or the charity of your choice.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 625 E. Haycraft Ave., Coeur d’Alene.
Please visit George’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.