Lt. Col. Steve Wilson, USAF, Ret.

George Stephen “Steve” Wilson, a caring husband, father, papa, and friend, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2022 with his family by his side following a brief illness. Steve was born to Malcolm Stephen and Rosalind Wilson on March 31,1947 in Atlanta, GA. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force after completing the ROTC program and graduating from NC State with a B.S. in Engineering Operations. His decorated military career of 23 years included tours in Vietnam, Laos and Desert Storm, during which he was awarded the Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross and twelve Air Medals. He flew 382 combat missions, accumulating 932 combat hours. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1993. Steve married Vicki Lynn Kruger of Raleigh, NC in 1971, and they were happy to return to Raleigh at the conclusion of Steve’s military career. He was an enthusiastic volunteer across a wide range of activities such as Boy Scouts, political causes, tutoring, refugee support, and many handyman projects in the neighborhood. He was a lifelong learner and was said to “collect hobbies,” so he was passionate about many things, including BBQ grilling, photography, music, woodworking, gardening, travel and playing with his dogs. His most recent passion was radio controlled airplanes which brought him much joy. He was a great friend to many. Steve is survived by his wife, Vicki; two sons, Brandon of Washington, DC, and Kevin (Stephanie) of Encinitas, CA; and two grandchildren, Aaron and Charlotte. He is also survived by his brother Richard (Rhonda) and sister Ann, along with their children. A Service Celebrating Steve's Life was held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 2 pm at Mitchell Funeral Home in Raleigh, NC. Family received friends during the Reception following the service. Inurnment, with Full Military Honors, will be held at Arlington National Cemetery. For those that were unable to attend the service, a hyperlink to a video of the service can be found below under the heading of DONATIONS. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of the following charities: Lutheran Services Carolinas, Alliance Medical Ministry, or the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Steve or a message of condolence to his family, you may do so by selecting "add a memory" below. .