Charles "Chuck" Edgar Wilson III

A native Atlantan, in early years Chuck was a member of the Atlanta Boy Choir and The Northside Highlander Band and later enjoyed summers as a counselor at Camp Ridgecrest in North Carolina. He was a graduate of The Westminster Schools, Class of 1965, where he excelled in basketball and was awarded The Senior Cup as “a young man who lives his life with kindness, generosity, modesty, and friendliness.” These attributes held true for his entire life. Chuck graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1969 with a B.A. in History and from the University of Georgia Law School in 1973. He served in the U. S. Army 1969-70 and the Georgia Army National Guard Reserves for years afterwards.

Though Chuck had an outstanding professional career, his family always came first. He was dedicated to his wife of 53 years, Janie, and his children, Charles and Laura, following their academic and athletic activities all the way through college. He coached Buckhead Baseball and was a fan at NYO and East Cobb, pitched batting practice to both kids in the evenings after work and visited just about every baseball field in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. He paced the outfield at Charles’ baseball games and learned the rules to a new sport when Laura discovered Lacrosse. The family enjoyed many other journeys together through the years, Chuck and Janie more recently visiting U.S. Air Force activities, dinosaur digs, grandchildren, and a return to their honeymoon spot, Jamaica Inn, to celebrate their 50th anniversary. But no trips were as special as family visits to Ponte Vedra, Florida.

Chuck began practicing law in an era when a good lawyer had to know how to do multiple things, and the breadth of his career experience is a testimony to his extensive skills. He practiced law for 44 years representing technology-related corporations and other businesses in contracting, licensing, intellectual property protection, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, securities law, corporate finance, corporate governance and employment law matters.

Chuck joined the Atlanta law firm of Heyman & Sizemore as an associate in 1973 and was one of the founders of Hicks, Maloof & Campbell in 1977. He was the lead securities counsel for Management Science America, Inc., (MSA: the leading U.S. independent software company at the time) when it went public in 1981, and continued in that role until the company was sold to Dun and Bradstreet in 1990. Following the sale of MSA, its Chairman John Imlay founded Imlay Investments and Chuck served for many years as an advisor and counsel. He also served as lead securities counsel for Fran Tarkenton’s company KnowledgeWare in its initial public offering, continuing until the company was sold in 1994. In 1998 Hicks, Maloof & Campbell merged with Atlanta-based Long Aldridge & Norman, which later became McKenna Long & Aldridge and subsequently Dentons US LLP, the world’s largest law firm. Chuck served in those firms as partner and later as Senior Counsel. He was always a dedicated mentor to younger lawyers.

Chuck retired from law practice in 2017 and continued to enjoy family, hobbies and lifelong friends’ groups. He was a life member of Capital City Club and the Nine O’Clocks and maintained close relationships with his Vanderbilt fraternity brothers from Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

He was an avid historian (particularly enjoying trips to and supporting Colonial Williamsburg) and gardener, and loved outdoor sports, tennis, quail hunting, fishing, hiking and birding. His special interests included model trains (Marklin), vintage Corvettes, and stamp collecting - continuing a collection inherited from his grandfather.

Chuck is survived by his best friend and wife, Jane Jernigan Wilson, his children Charles Edgar (Charles) Wilson, IV of Houston, TX and Dr. Laura Wilson (Jarrod Brantley) of Melbourne, FL, and three grandchildren: Alex Wilson, William Brantley and Andy Wilson. He is also survived by his sister Faustine (Tink) Wilson Mitchell, his sister-in-law Cordelia Brumby Jernigan, cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank Chuck’s loyal caregivers, especially Dwight Jones, and Weinstein Hospice for their service.

A celebration of Chuck’s life will be held on July 10, 2:00 p.m. at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church with a reception immediately following in Grace Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to:

Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, www.prumc.org/give

Marine Resources Council of East Florida (his daughter’s nonprofit), 3275 Dixie Hwy NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, www.LoveTheIRL.org