James Milburn "Jim" Wilson

James Milburn "Jim" Wilson was born December 5, 1935 in Kilgore, Texas the son of James Davis Wilson and Una Addie (Milburn) Wilson. He was the great-grandson of James M. Grayson, a pioneer rancher, blacksmith, and Texas Ranger, who would eventually own a large ranch of several thousand acres in Montague County, Texas. His mother Una was from Cooke County, Texas and was descended from both Methodist and Baptist ministers.

Jim was born premature and was not expected to live, but with the Lord's blessing and his mother's constant loving care, he defied the odds and soon began to thrive. Jim grew up with an older sister, Janice, and a younger brother Billy. In 1941, the family first lived in Wichita Falls while Jim's father did mechanical layout for Sheppard Air Force Base. Several moves followed before they returned to Wichita Falls in October 1945. In late 1949, his parents started a plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company.

Jim attended schools in Wichita Falls and graduated from Wichita Falls High School where he was a member of the Acapella Choir. He attended North Texas State University as well as Texas Tech University where he studied architecture. During his college years he was a member of the Christian organization, Disciple Student Fellowship, and enjoyed the sport of fencing. Even though he had practiced very little, he defeated several competitors and made it to the finals of his first fencing competition because he outsmarted and outmaneuvered his opponents. He later returned home to work with his father in the family business.

Jim met the love of his life, Karen Walden, in 1963, at Kress' Department Store in downtown Wichita Falls where she worked. They were married the day after Valentine's Day, February 15, 1964, at Park Place Christian Church.

Jim was a licensed Master Plumber and owned Economy Plumbing and Heating for many years. He was an excellent business owner who brought the company through the difficult oil bust of the 1980s which negatively affected the Texas economy and many of the company's customers. He was well-liked by both his employees and customers. There were many times he wouldn't charge customers who couldn't afford to pay, and numerous holidays he would go on calls to help customers who had plumbing or heating emergencies, often refusing to charge them because it was a holiday.

In 1968, Jim and Karen were two of the founding members of Central Christian Church in Wichita Falls and have been faithful attendees for fifty years. In the 1970s, Jim taught a large college-age Sunday School/Bible Study class and was well-loved by all of his students. He was well-known for his knowledge of Scripture. He loved the Lord Jesus with all of his heart and was a devoted student of the Bible. He would often sit and read the Bible and enjoyed listening to and watching Christian radio and television programs.

He also enjoyed several hobbies including photography, leather-working, building WWII model airplanes, and gardening. Jim and Karen had two children, Teresa and Kent, and raised a third child, Mark, from a previous marriage. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2014.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Una (Milburn) Wilson, and brother William Paul “Billy” Wilson.

He is survived by his wife Karen Walden Wilson; three children, Mark Wilson, Teresa Wilson Wiese (son-in-law Craig Wiese), and Kent Wilson; granddaughter Victoria Wiese; and sister Janice Wilson Hanks.