Dr. Thomas E. Wilson, III

Thomas Epps Wilson, III, MD, 80 passed away Sunday at home, surrounded by his loving wife and children. Funeral services will be 11:00am Wednesday August 29, 2012 in the Chapel of First Baptist Church of Jackson. Visitation will be Tuesday August 28, 2012 from 5:00pm till 7:00pm at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home High Street and Wednesday from 10:00am till 11:00am at the church. Private graveside services will be in Lakewood Memorial Park.

Dr. Wilson, a native of Jackson, graduated from Millsaps College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. After training in internal medicine at the University of Mississippi, he completed a fellowship in rheumatology at Mayo Clinic before returning to Jackson, where he practiced for over 30 years. In addition to his private practice, he volunteered his services at the Crestwood Clinic for Christ. A true American patriot, he also served alongside the Marines as an officer of the US Naval Medical Corps Reserves in the 1960's.

Dr. Wilson was a lifetime deacon at the First Baptist Church of Jackson, where he volunteered with the Benevolents. He was a board member of the Common Bond and Buried Treasures. During his retirement, he devoted much of his time to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), elected as their outstanding volunteer twice.

Tommy loved the outdoors, especially boating and sailing with his family and friends. He was an avid fan of Ole Miss football and Atlanta Braves baseball. He deeply loved the Lord and his family. He is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Esther Coker Wilson, and his daughter Clara Gwen Waller and husband Rush of Memphis TN, and sons Thomas Coker Wilson and James Ward Wilson of Jackson; grandchildren Ben Waller, Wilson Waller, Katilyn Wilson, Clara Ward Wilson, and Coker Wilson; sister, Gwen Lynch and husband Bill of Jackson. He was preceded by his parents Dr. Thomas and Gwen Wilson and his infant son Thomas E. Wilson, IV.

The family requests that Memorials be sent to NAMI or the Buried Treasures Ministry