McArthur Wilson

McArthur Wilson was born to his mother, Lucille Wilson, at 4:00 pm on November 27, 1945. He made his auspicious entry into the world in Oakland, a town of about 500 people located in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. World War II had ended only a couple of months before. With the help of her sister, Estella Eggerson (better known as “Aunt Shug”), and McArthur’s grandmother, Mary Wilson, Lucille loved, nurtured and raised McArthur and his younger brothers, James and Eugene, on the family farm.

Mac, as he was known, was mechanically inclined at a young age. When his Aunt Shug was unable to locate radios and other devices around the house, she knew exactly where to go. She’d find Mac tucked under the concrete blocks that supported the family home, deep in concentration as he habitually took the devices apart and then obediently put them back together again. That was only one side of Mac, though. He and his brothers got into mischief from time to time as boys often do.

McArthur spent his teen years in Yalobusha County at what was then all-Black Davidson High School in Water Valley, Mississippi. Though Brown vs. Board of Education, the United States Supreme Court case that famously desegregated schools in the South, had been decided in 1954, Mississippi schools would not be integrated until 1970. Mr. Wilson graduated from Davidson High in 1965. In July of that summer, President Lyndon Baines Johnson announced in a televised speech that he would be sending an additional 75,000 troops to Vietnam—raising the number to 125,000. He warned that the draft numbers would more than double to a thousand men per day.

McArthur Wilson, now a 20-year-old man, was drafted into the United States Army on February 4, 1966. By later that year, 385,000 U.S. troops had descended upon a tiny Southeast Asian country only slightly larger than the State of New Mexico. While McArthur’s youngest brother, Eugene, was deployed to Vietnam as a U.S. Marine, McArthur and James, who had also been inducted, were deployed elsewhere. McArthur spent the next two years at an Army installation in Michigan, where he achieved the rank of Specialist 4 (“SP4”), and James was deployed to Germany. All three were esteemed Vietnam Veterans.

Once he’d completed his first tour in the Army, Mr. Wilson moved to Davenport, Iowa. There, he worked in local factories for Oscar Mayer and Wonder Bread. He also attended Scott Community College in Bettendorf, Iowa, for a time. By March of 1977, McArthur was once again on active duty in the Army, this time as a Sergeant. He spent more than 3-1/2 years overseas—essentially dividing his time between Germany and France.

Sgt. Wilson returned home to Iowa in November 1981. While employed by Wonder Bread, he devoted another 9 years to working as a Military Police officer in the Army Reserves. Sgt. Wilson was honorably discharged from the Service on February 17, 1990. By that time, he had received multiple medals, badges and ribbons—including for his expertise as an M-16 Rifle Marksman, his facility with a .45 Caliber Pistol, a Good Conduct Medal, National Service Ribbons and participation in a nine (9) week Military Education Law program.

But McArthur Wilson’s adventures were far from over. At age 44, he married the former Rita Ann Sims on Valentine’s Day, 1990, in Frederick, Maryland. In September of that year, he gave his life to the Lord. He got baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. From that time on, Mr. Wilson was a changed man. He held various positions in church, including as a Deacon, a Sunday School Superintendent and even an Assistant Sunday School Superintendent for the church organization’s District Council.

Preceded in death by his mother Lucille, his Aunt Estella and his grandmother, Mary, McArthur Wilson spent the rest of his life as a caring husband, a great family man and a loving father. He and his wife shared eleven (11) children as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, a great-niece and great-nephews.

Together, the Wilsons spent twenty-five (25) rewarding years as foster and adoptive parents aside from raising their natural children. McArthur took great pleasure in helping to ensure that every child who was raised in their home learned about the love and saving power of Jesus Christ.

Mr. Wilson ultimately went to work at a major Army installation known as Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. There, he worked as an Artillery Assembler for many years and then retired.

Mr. Wilson was socially active and enjoyed many hobbies—bowling, fishing, playing dominoes and pool. He also loved to sing, dance and participate in church. Bro. Wilson and his family officially joined LifePointe United Pentecostal Church in Snellville, Georgia, in April of last year. By that time, however, they had already been watching the church’s services online since July 2021. LifePointe UPC is known as the church “where you can begin again.” That’s exactly what McArthur and his family did during his final year of life.

Bro. McArthur Wilson entered into his eternal rest in the arms of Jesus Christ on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at age 77. His family and friends will remember him as a strong man, who loved his family, his church and his community. They will remember his wonderful sense of humor as well as the fact that he was the kind of man who said what he meant and meant what he said. Bro. Wilson would sometimes point a finger right at a person’s face as he spoke to ensure they knew he was serious. Then, he would tell them the truth. McArthur has now shared his final words of wisdom and the last of many amusing stories from childhood. He will be greatly missed. Thank you.

A visitation for McArthur will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM at Floral Hills Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 3150 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker, GA 30084. Funeral service, Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 12:30 PM. A committal service will occur Monday, May 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, GA 30114.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.floralhillsfuneral.com for the family.