“Uncle Bud”, my great-uncle, passed away last week.
Byron E. Wilson, 84, Martinsville [Indiana], died at 1:35 a.m. on Sunday, March 28, 2004, at his residence.
Born Nov. 2, 1919, in Morgan County, he was the son of Earl O. and Bessie Maree (Hamilton) Wilson. He married Margaret E. (Reynolds) Wilson Nov. 29, 1941. She survives.
Wilson was a mail carrier in Martinsville for 37 years, retiring in 1980.
He was a member of First Christian Church in Martinsville, American Legion Post 230, Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1257, volunteer firefighter and treasurer for the Green Township Fire Department. He was a 1937 Martinsville High School graduate.
He drove School of Hope children through the Red Cross and was a veteran of the Army Air Force during World War II.
He enjoyed playing music and was an avid gardener.
Other survivors include a son, James Earl Wilson, Gosport; daughters, Judy Arend, Madison, Wis., Donna Dickison, Martinsville, Kathy Davenport, Flemingsburg, Ky., Patti Wiggins, Martinsville and Karen Parks, Monrovia and 10 grandchildren, Michelle Bailey, Shaun and Michael Arend, Amber Wilson, Matthew, Daniel, Joseph and Benjamin Wiggins and Rebecca and Sara Davenport.
A sister, Mary Flora Hanscom, and a great-grandchild preceded him in death.
As I grew up in Alaska, my memories of Uncle Bud are limited to the times we went down to Indiana to visit dad’s side of the family. My grandmother’s home was just next door to Uncle Bud and Aunt Peg (if I’m remembering correctly, her house was actually on his property), only a few minutes walk across a field from one door to the other.
All the memories I have of him, though, are pleasant ones — a friendly, smiling, older man, watching all the various kids and grandkids of his family run around during our visits. I believe at one point he let me drive his riding lawnmower around the field, resulting in little actual mowing, and culminating in the unfortunate wounding of an innocent tree when I failed to turn quite when I should.
Bye, Uncle Bud. You’ll be missed.
