Robert Wesley Wilson

A local Clearwater native, Bob was born June 8th, 1924 in the Wilson home at the corner of Greenwood (MLK) and Druid Road. He was raised by his Grandparents JK and Velaria Wilson in the home. Velaria was the oldest of the 21 McMullen children born in the McMullen/Coachman log cabin, now located at Heritage Village. Bob enjoyed a rich historical lineage as a part of the McMullen Clan. After graduating from Clearwater High School in 1942, Bob enlisted in the Marine Corp and fought in the South Pacific returning home after five years qualifying for the first car in the city. Using the GI Bill he graduated with a Juris Doctor in the College of Law from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. There he married Nan Ivey from Atlanta and returned to Clearwater to start his Law practice, and a family – retiring after 66 years of practice.

Bob was passionately active in civic organizations. He served as a Master Mason in Clearwater Lodge #127, F&AM as the longest held member for 66years, Tampa Scottish Rite, Egypt Temple Shrine, Tampa Court 89, Royal Order of Jesters, The First Methodist Church as the oldest resident member, President of the State Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1956, One of the Five Outstanding Men of Florida in 1957, Life Membership in the Clearwater Jaycees, Kiwanis, SAR and other numerous organizations.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years; Nan Wilson, two daughters; Nancy Wilson Hamilton, Jacksonville and Connie Wilson Maros, Brevard, NC.; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was known for living life to the fullest, his amazing sense of humor, and seizing each day.

A Celebration Service will be held on Sunday, October 20th a 4 pm at The First United Methodist Church on Turner at Ft. Harrison with family visitation following the tribute. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The First United Methodist Church.

Eulogy by Nancy Wilson Hamilton

We grew up across the street from this church, walked across the street each Sunday and later attended South Ward next door. This was our little neighborhood. Dad was a local boy raised by his Grandparents at the corner of Greenwood and Druid. Sundays Granny had 20-30 people after church for a big meal – Wilson’s, McMullen’s and offspring. Dad was the family attorney having used the GI Bill to get him through Stetson Law School. Having grown up with older parents he had a different level of respect for people, his community and reputation.

He was a real visionary and entrepreneur – planner – a Big Picture Guy. In college he was the top salesman for Fuller Brush Company, then started the local milk route for campus and recruited his fraternity brothers who teamed with him. He made a penny from each milk bottle sold – a penny, imagine.

In WWII while on the island of Engibee he gathered Pacific shells and made jewelry from the stainless wire from the downed airplanes that he brought home as gifts. He even dove for pearls and at Christmas one year each of us was given a pearl ring he custom made for each of us. Other men brought home guns.

In 1956 as the State Jaycee President we traveled each weekend to Jacksonville, or Miami or one city where he spoke at conventions and rallies. My sister and I went to bed hearing “peas, peas, peas eating goober peas” – whatever that meant. On the drive to these cities he would find a long winding road that led to a caladium farm and ogle through the photos of the colorful ones he would collect – this trip. Our little house on Pine Street, across from the church had a wonderful palm tree that he tiered with a lirope encircled planter filled with an array of caladium – he photo’d at every angle. He loved plants, guava trees, fishing…………….he loved many things.

During the week he left early each morning in a suit and tie. On the weekends we woke up in a bass boat on the Withlacoochee or a JC rally somewhere in the state. He loved to fish – and proudly displayed the heads of some13 pounders on the wall. We all fished – he had a big grin on his face when he told people that “both my boys turned out to be girls”.

His love for plants and the outdoors eventually led to the opening of a plant nursery, eventually three. Nan was an outdoor girl - a real athlete who could whip him in golf, and shared his love for plants. With his sense of wit he wanted a “catchy’ name. As kids we were little still watching Captain Kangaroo, so he chose; Green Jeans Nursery – “the home of every bloomin’ thing”.

The billboard read: Any home without a tree ain’t fit for a dog. Grief! We even had the t-shirts to match.

For a Kiwanis Halloween party, Dad and Mom dressed in bib overalls, plaid shirts with big straw hats and carried live chickens under their arms just for fun!

Over the summers we had a choice of which place to work (in the family businesses) – the nursery or the law office. I liked to put on a Sunday dress and air conditioning so usually chose the office. I was given the receptionist desk, so greeted clients and typed out statements. Say it’s 1958 - so a statement required and original, two onion skin pages and two carbons on an IBM Selectric – the fee for a Divorce was $500. You could pay $5 per month, (for 100 months – that’s 8 years) so my job was to type: Received on account, then your balance due of $495. That was 1958! Those were simple times.

At lunch he would run out the door on Thursdays to Kiwanis, so he called ahead to make the reservation for two. He was late – always late so I was shirking as we crept into the room. The invocation was already given; the food was at the setting. We jumped into our chairs – then someone would hop up to the microphone and say: And look who just entered the room: The Late Bob Wilson. Yes – that is how affectionately he was known… for the rest of his life – very appropriate for the law specialty of real estate and probate.

Later on he bought a place in Crystal River and started some developments there; warehouses, storage facility, a small shopping center with a lovely house on the water across from the diving hole. Fishing was great; relaxation was lovely – old Florida. He still has the17 acres that he cleared with a back hoe and riding mower all by himself. He loved riding the tractor and spent hours on the mower, and when finished would sit back in a hammock and marvel at a job well done.

This became our family reunion gathering place. One Easter we were all scrambling getting ready for church – when we got in the car, he calmly and asked us if anyone knew God’s first name. When no one knew he grinned and announced that it was………….Andy. We groaned. Of course, we were late and the parking lot was full - so latecomers end up on what row? Yes, the front row. We rose, got out our hymnals and sang - In The Garden….while the dew is still on the roses – Andy walks with me! We could not contain ourselves so assume we missed the resurrection message.

He was a fun Dad, but he never let us forget that that he was a Marine. There was only one way to do something – His. Discipline and character counted. I tell others that I was a seriously compliant child as I was raised by a Marine/Attorney. He loved God, family, country and Clearwater.

He was a character with amazing gifts. He could find the humor in everything and colorized the world with his stories. What a great story teller. He never told the same joke the same way twice – just to make it interesting. He collected unusual stuff that was in his office (some of you added to the collection) which was later moved to his bedroom. My grandson told his teacher that going to Grandad’s place was like Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

You know it’s funny, but I figured out why he could never give away any of his stuff – because each had a story to tell.

So today we celebrate a life well lived – The Late Bob Wilson:

He could give you advice and you knew he cared about you. He would give you the straight answer, negotiate a resolution and keep you out of court. He saw opportunities that others could not see and ……he shared them.

He discovered the secret to longevity – it was very biblical: He saw the value and reward of hard work. He worked hard and played hard – that was the reward! He saw no reason for anyone to be hungry as God had provided two good hands. We could always do something to earn a living!! He was living proof. He liked people - loved everyone he met. He was an overcomer – he overcame his insecurities as a small child and made a name for himself. To this day – he is “my most remarkable character”.

If you asked him ‘why” you should do something – he would come back with “why not!” You could make it happen!

He did a remarkable work planning out his life; in a file was his original birth certificate, adoption papers and his framed baptism from 1925 in this very First Methodist Church.

But this last year was hard. He was not a happy camper. He wanted to be home – or at Hard Rock eating shrimp …….and he could not plan the end.

We had seen him broken before, but not sick. I would come in the room and he was saying the Lord’s Prayer. He was ready to go home and his prayers were answered without long suffering and NOW is in heaven – as the bible says “he died at a good old age”.

Mom calls him a “GOOD MAN” – he was her good man - the love of her life for 65 years, who made a difference in the lives of many – even if he was just a ray of sunshine. He provided an honorable role model for us with great memories to cherish - and a lasting legacy.

We thank you so much for joining us today and blessing us with your presence!