George William Wilson

George William Wilson, 84, died of natural causes on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, during a brief stay at Creekside Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Pearland, Texas.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Charlene (Simonds) Wilson of Manvel, Texas; son Steve Wilson and wife Nancy (Effinger) Wilson of San Marcos, Texas; daughter Kristine (Wilson) Rivers and husband Bobby Rivers of Manvel, Texas; grandsons Samuel Wilson, Connor Wilson, and Julian Brashears; sister Marie (Wilson) Gallagher and husband John Gallagher; and brother John Wilson. He is preceded in death by his parents, William Wilson and Julia (Collins) Wilson, his sister Virginia Wilson, and his sister-in-law Mary (Kiernan) Wilson.

George was born on February 21, 1939, in the Bronx, New York and raised in Astoria, Queens, New York. He described his childhood as colorful, playing stickball on neighborhood streets and pranking friends with his brother’s help. He served in the United States Army following high school, and while stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, met the love of his life Charlene at a GSO dance. George and Charlene wed on May 9, 1959, and became proud parents of son Steve in March 1960. The family welcomed daughter Kristine in February 1966.

George and Charlene purchased property in Manvel, Texas in 1972 and enjoyed country living so much it became their permanent home. George was employed in retail management and worked in a variety of roles within the transportation industry until his retirement.

Athletic in his youth, George enjoyed competition, whether playing marathon games of “Evil Uno” during family holidays or pickleball as a senior athlete. He was also an avid Oklahoma Sooners fan, despite choosing Texas as his forever home.

George loved to read whodunnit mysteries, short stories, and historical works – interests he combined by authoring High Plains Justice?, a true tale of murder and mystery in the Texas panhandle of the old West. His fondness for clever word play was evident in titles such as “Scalawags, Six-Shooters and Shenanigans” he gave to another of his works.

George traveled extensively with his wife conducting historical research and birding. He also developed an interest in landscape photography, capturing beautiful memories of their many explorations. George delighted in sharing the stories behind his photos and books with everyone he met, creating many friendships along the way.

A loving and proud husband, father, and grandfather, George will best be remembered for his quick wit, sense of humor, love of horrible puns, and generosity of spirit. He is already greatly missed.

The family plans to hold a private graveside service at a date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, they suggest donating in George’s honor to the American Heart Association or the National Audubon Society.

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