Thomas E. Wilson, 83, of Canning Factory Rd., Waterville, NY, passed away Thursday, December 1, 2011 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Utica, NY with his family by his side.
He was born December 28, 1927 in the Town of Augusta, a son of William and Kathleen Durling Wilson and was educated in Madison schools. Tom was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII, serving from 1945 to 1946 with the Seabees. On May 26, 1951, he was united in marriage to Mary E. Von Matt in St. Bernard’s Church, Waterville. A lifelong resident of the Waterville area, Tom was a truck driver for Red Star Express, and later was the Highway Superintendant for the Town of Marshall. He had also served as a councilman for the Town of Marshall. Tom had a passion for car racing and earned several championships during the 1950’s at Brookfield and other area tracks. In later years, he built race engines for his son.
Mr. Wilson was a communicant of St. Bernard’s Church in Waterville. He was a member of the Kelley Phillips American Legion Post #569 of Oriskany Falls; and the Teamsters Local 182 of Utica.
Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Mary; a daughter and son-in-law, Darlene and Edwin Abbe of Waterville; daughter-in-law, Margery Wilson of Waterville; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Bernita Pelton of Syracuse; Patricia and Eugene Camp of Hamilton; his beloved grandchildren, Carrie Callan of New Hartford, Kristen Pumilia of Waterville; Seth Abbe of Claremont, FL and Zachary and Amanda Abbe of Waterville; five great-grandchildren, Isabella, Julianna, Joseph, Tommy and Jonny; and several nieces and nephews. His son, James Thomas Wilson predeceased him on March 2, 2002.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10am Monday, December 5, 2011 from St. Bernard’s Church, 199 Stafford Ave., Waterville, followed by interment with military honors in St. Bernard’s Cemetery.
Friends are invited to call at the Kloster-Northrop & Bentz Funeral Home, 210 E. Main St., Waterville on Sunday from 4-8pm.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to St. Bernard’s Capital Fund, 199 Stafford Ave., Waterville, NY 13480.