Roy L. Wilson

Funeral Services for Roy L. Wilson will be conducted from the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska on Monday, February 19, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. with his son-in-law, Reverend Lauren Ekdahl, officiating. Interment will be in the Moses Hill Cemetery in Phelps County, Nebraska.

Roy Lynn Wilson, 97 years of age, of Reeds Spring, Missouri (former 45 year resident of Gillette, Wyoming), passed away on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at the St. John's Regional Health Center in Springfield, Missouri.

Roy was born December 19, 1909 in Lincoln County, Nebraska the son of Walter and Grace (Anderson) Wilson. He received his education at Platte Valley, graduating from Platte Valley High School with the class of 1928. He then pursued higher education at Kearney State Teachers College at Kearney, Nebraska, graduating with a Degree in Education in 1932. While at Kearney, he was a 4 year track letterman
and held the discus record for four years and the long jump record until the mid 1960's (30 + years).

On August 17, 1936 he was united in marriage to Leona M. Bloom in Loomis, Nebraska. Following his education, Mr. Wilson taught school and coached basketball and track in Hershey and Sutherland, Nebraska. His basketball team placed first in the state division and his track teams won the
state meet three years in a row. During WWII, he was an instructor for the United States Air Force assigned to Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois and the Air Base at Kearney, Nebraska. After the war, Mr. Wilson resumed his teaching career at Grant, Nebraska, where he was principal and taught Vocational Agriculture, Industrial Arts, History and Math. In 1950, he purchased the Gambles Store in Holdrege. While in Holdrege, he was also employed for a time at Sidles Company. In 1956, he re-entered teaching
as a school administrator at Mascot and Loomis, Nebraska. It was while at Loomis, Roy attended the
University of Wyoming and earned his Master's Degree. In 1960, he became teacher and principal of the
Campbell County High School in Gillette, Wyoming. For a time he was the school district's financial
manager. He retired after 38 years of teaching in the public school and spent his time between Gillette,
Wyoming and Mesa, Arizona. On December 14, 1995 he was preceded in death by his wife, Leona. In 2004, he moved to Branson, Missouri to be with his daughter, Betty.

Even after his retirement, Mr. Wilson continued his learning by traveling to many countries around the
world. He had a great interest in people and a special relationship with youth. Mr. Wilson was active in
many civic organizations . He was initiated into Demolay when he was a sophomore in high school, he was a 70+ year Mason and a 55 year member of the Order of Eastern Star, was a past District Governor of Lions Club with perfect attendance for about 60 years and received the Lions Club Melvin Jones Award and was a leader for Boy Scouts and 4-H. He was the Drive Chairman for March of Dimes in Campbell County Wyoming for 15 years and spent a number of years volunteering at the National High School Rodeo competitions in Gillette. He was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Gillette.

He leaves to mourn his passing his two daughters: Shirley Ekdahl and her husband, Lauren of Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Betty Duncan and her husband, Reo of Reeds Spring, Missouri; five grandchildren: Carol (Scott) Garwood, Carmen (Doug) Stark all of South Sioux City, Nebraska, Laura Jean (Chris) Neal of Winter Haven, Florida, Tracy (Michele) Hayden and Kevin (Amy) Hayden all of Gillette Wyoming; 15 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Mr. Wilson was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Leona in 1995; 3 sisters: Gladys Thomas, Hazel Lesiak, and Grace Windhorst and a brother, Cap Wilson.

Memorials have been established to ESTARAL scholarship fund and the Lions Club Vision Program.

Mr. Wilson will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Sunday, February 18, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
A memorial service will also be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Gillette, Wyoming at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 22, 2007.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements.