Major John Edward Wilson, (Ret.), US Army, of Huntsville, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, April 27, at the age of 71. Born in Jackson, TN as the fourth of five children to Charles and Zita Bea Wilson, “Eddy the Knife” played football for Messick High School before attending the University of Tennessee, earning B.S. and MBA degrees. In 1967, he was commissioned in the U.S. Army and served until his retirement in 1988. His Army career highlights include serving as a Vietnamese Ranger Advisor, a Company Commander on the Korean DMZ, and helping to found the Army’s Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, KY.
He met his wife, Caroline Harski, during his time as an ROTC instructor at UT Chattanooga. The two married in December 1980 and moved to Gelhnhausen, Germany where he served as the S-3 of 1/48 Infantry Battalion. Following his retirement from the Army, the family moved to Huntsville, AL, where John worked in the local defense industry as a computer analyst until his retirement in 2011.
John loved the Lord, the US Army, his country, golf, the Tennessee Vols, and his family. He coached his sons’ little league teams and served as a member and eventual president of the Grissom Football Booster Club. He also remained strongly connected to the military, including serving as president of the Alabama West Point Parents Association. He enjoyed being a part of the American Ranger Advisors Group (Vietnam) and attending reunions across the country. In his retirement he enjoyed golfing, home renovation, and restoring his beloved 1970 Stingray Corvette, “Snarl.” He will be remembered for his honorable service, his unfailing work ethic, his enthusiastic hospitality, his steady leadership, and his deep devotion to the ones he loved. He will be dearly missed.
John joins his parents; his older brother Wayne of Conyers, GA; and his nephew Mark Ozier of Springdale, AR, at the heavenly Wilson reunion. He is survived by his beloved wife, Caroline of Huntsville; his brothers, Tom (Becky) of Jackson, TN, and Bruce (Donna) of Seymour, TN; his sister, Glenda Ozier (David) of Jonesboro, AR; his sister-in-law, Gail Wilson of Conyers, GA; his sons, John Andrew (Emily) of New York, and Matthew (Johanna) of Huntsville; three grandchildren, Antonia Jane, John Edmund, and Martha Louise; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at Trinity United Methodist Church. The funeral service will follow at the church with Chaplain Col. Kenneth Godfrey and the Rev. Mac Buttram officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 75th Ranger Regiment Association at https://www.75thrra.com/.
