Corky was born on April 26, 1937, in Erath County, Texas, to Truman Otis and Leta Wiggins Wilson. He grew up in the Wilson, Texas community, near the Carlton and Edna Hill communities — country that taught a man how to work, how to stand his ground, and how to stay loyal to his people, and shaped him into the man he became. As a small child, before he ever set foot in a Texas classroom, his father’s pipeline welding career had he and his family living in Frederick County, Maryland, near Camp David. He often recalled standing along the roadside with his parents and siblings, watching the presidential motorcade pass by coming and going from Camp David, an experience he carried with him long after life brought him home to Texas.
Corky attended Carlton School from first grade through graduation, building lifelong friendships and learning early the importance of hard work, responsibility, and standing his ground. He hoed countless rows of cotton growing up, work that toughened his hands and forged the grit he carried throughout his life.
On November 28, 1957, Corky married Norma Joyce Williamson, a neighbor and childhood friend who lived a few miles down the road in Edna Hill, Texas. Their marriage of 68 years was built on loyalty, perseverance, and a love that held steady through every season of life. Together, they raised two children, Truman Jay (TJ) and Rebecca Joyce (Becky), creating a family grounded in hard work, strong values, and deep connection.
Corky was a working man through and through. His career took him from three years with Texas Electric in Odessa, to a year traveling across Texas with Texas Power & Light, followed by five years with Gulf States and three years with Comanche County Precinct 3. However, his longest and proudest chapter was with Hamilton County Electric Cooperative, where he gave 31 years of dedicated service from 1968 until his retirement in 1999. He took pride in his work showing up early, working hard, doing the job right, and earning the respect of those who stood alongside him.
Sports were a lifelong passion. Corky loved the game and wasn’t shy about letting referees know it; he was notoriously known for being thrown out of basketball games, whether it was his own or his brother John’s. His competitive spirit ran deep, but so did his loyalty.
After high school, Corky chased a dream few ever get close to. He and two friends traveled to LaGrave Field in Fort Worth, Texas, home of the Fort Worth Cats minor league baseball team, to try out for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was offered not one, but two positions: shortstop and pitcher. When his two buddies didn’t make the team, and they were his only way home, Corky walked away. It wasn’t regret that guided his decision, but loyalty. The opportunity spoke for itself, a quiet testament to his grit and natural talent.
Later in life, that same love for the game found a new purpose. As a father to TJ and Becky, Corky devoted countless hours to coaching Pee Wee, Little League, and Teenage League baseball and softball, passing on lessons of patience, discipline, teamwork, and heart to the next generation.
Corky loved the outdoors and the wildlife that came with it. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, found joy in camping and trips to the lake, and took comfort in the quiet of the land. He also had a love for dancing and live country music, playing rhythm guitar and singing with the same heart he brought to everything he did.
Nothing mattered more to Corky than his family especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Surrounded by them, Corky and Joyce treasured their time together on the farm, in the garden, fishing, hunting, and doing whatever it took to make the kids smile. Those moments were filled with memories, quiet lessons, and a way of life he was proud to pass down. He would jump through hoops for every one of them without hesitation. They held a sacred place in his heart, and his love for them was fierce, steady, and unconditional.
Corky lived a life grounded in hard work, loyalty, love, and dedication. He stood by his people, worked until the job was done, and loved his family with everything he had. His legacy lives on in the hands he taught to work, the hearts he taught to care, and the family who will proudly carry his name forward.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Truman Otis and Leta Wiggins Wilson; brothers Truman Otis Wilson, Otis Ralph Wilson, and Thomas K. Wilson (and wife Rita); sister Mary Wilson Hopper; daughter-in-law Cinthia Wilson; sister-in-law Virginia Wilson; and nephew Todd Ray Wilson.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 68 years, Norma Joyce Wilson; brother Johnny Ray Wilson; son TJ Wilson; daughter Becky Wilson Melde and her husband David; grandchildren Shea Wilson and his wife Misty, Keslie Wilson Koether and her husband Trenton, Madison Hailey, and Justin Melde; great-grandchildren Blake and Madeline, Braylee, Kyler, and Khloe; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and many cherished cousins.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Riley Funeral Home, 402 W. Main Street, Hamilton, Texas. Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Riley Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Live Oak Cemetery in Dublin (Purvis), Texas, located off FM 219 West, left on CR 317 from Carlton.
Pallbearers will be Shea Wilson, Blake Mizell, Madison Hailey, Justin Melde, Kyler Koether, Gaylon Jones Jr., Mason Bullard, Stanley Sellers, Billy Landua, and David Melde.
