William Hooper (Bill) Wilson

William Hooper (Bill) Wilson of Raleigh, NC, businessman, civic leader and true southern gentleman, died on July 26, 2019 at the age of 92. He was born on April 14, 1927 in Clinton, NC to the late Robert Bruce Wilson, Jr. and Katherine Eldridge Wilson.

Bill is survived by his wife of almost 40 years, Jean Gorman (Jeanie) Wilson, sons William Hooper Wilson, Jr. of Charlotte, NC and Adrian Newton Wilson (and wife Nixie) of Wilmington, NC, grandchildren Adrian Newton Wilson, Jr. of Detroit MI, Caroline Hunter Wilson of Fort Collins, CO and Palmer Dallas Small of Charlotte, NC, and two great grandchildren (Aubrey Small and Bryce Small).

Bill was a graduate of Randolph Macon Academy and attended Wake Forest College before joining the U.S. Navy. Following the conclusion of World War II, he graduated in 1950 from the University of North Carolina’s School of Pharmacy.

A pharmacist for over 60 years, Bill began his practice in Reidsville, NC and shortly thereafter joined Kerr Drugs in Raleigh, NC. In 1966 he purchased Hayes Barton Pharmacy in Raleigh. For the next 23 years he owned and operated the pharmacy, and sold it to Tim White in 1989, staying on and working for Tim until 2013. Bill also helped Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as Director of Professional Relations, bringing information technology solutions to the pharmaceutical industry in North Carolina.

Professional, civic and community involvement came naturally to Bill. He was president of the NC Pharmaceutical Association, board member of the NC Medical Care Commission, the UNC School of Pharmacy Foundation and the Wake Board of Health (chairman), president of the Raleigh Merchants Bureau and the Raleigh Civitan Club, and a member of the Tar Heel 100 Committee and E.R. Squibb national advisory council. Bill also served as an at-large member of the Raleigh City Council and as its Mayor Pro Tem.

In particular, Bill enjoyed spending his free-time with Jeanie, with whom he traveled extensively, and his friends at the Rawhide Poker Club, Good Ole Boys lunch group and the Wake County Chitlin Club. He also continued to play golf with his beloved bi-weekly RGA group until the time of his death.

A service in celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Friday, August 9, beginning at 1 p.m., at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary’s St. in Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, online at https://give.unc.edu/donate?p=PHAR or by regular mail at 300 Pharmacy Lane, Chapel Hill, NC 27599.