John L. “Jack” Wilson II, 89, of Glendora and formerly of Davenport, FL passed away on Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Samaritan Hospice Center in Voorhees where he had been since Friday night.
He was born February 22, 1933 in Philadelphia, PA and was the son of the late J. Kenneth and Ruth Cochrane Wilson.
Jack was raised in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia until the family moved to Bridgeton in 1945. He graduated from Bridgeton High School in 1950 where he served as class president, was elected Mr. BHS and played both varsity football and tennis.
He was accepted and graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, SC with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1955. His career continued as a member of the US Army where he graduated from Infantry School’s basic infantry officers’ course at Fort Benning, GA being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. In 1957, Jack was promoted to First Lieutenant and went on to serve in Korea before being honorably discharged. He continued to serve in the US Army Reserves through 1963.
In June of 1954 he became engaged to Marilyn Getsinger, also a BHS graduate. They were married on June 18, 1955.
In addition to raising his six children, coaching girls’ softball and living in Glendora, he worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a Claims Adjuster and then later as an Office Administrator at the law office of Lavin, Coleman, O’Neill, Ricci, Finarelli and Gray in center city Philadelphia until his retirement.
Jack joined Chews United Methodist Church in Glendora in February 1960 and had served wherever he was needed. He was church treasurer, a trustee, a lay leader, a member of the staff parish committee, a member of the United Methodist Men and a high school boys Sunday School teacher. In 1965, he was a member of the building committee that launched a campaign to build a new, larger sanctuary. Four generations of his family still worship at Chews.
He enjoyed traveling and camping in his “RV” and spent many summers at the New Jersey shore and winters in Florida. The Wilsons loved spending time with their family and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Marilyn G. Wilson, in 2015 and is survived by five children, John L. Wilson III (Marie) of Wrightstown, Jeffrey S. Wilson (Regina) of Davenport, FL, Barbara Toomey (Thomas) of Wenonah, Jay K. Wilson Sr. (Phylise) of Glendora, with whom Jack resided for the past three years, and Brian L. Wilson Sr. (Dawn) of Blenheim, NJ, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was also predeceased by daughter, Sandra L. Wilson, in 2008, three grandchildren and his sister, Carol Wilson Freitag, in 2019.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services at the Freitag Funeral Home, 137 W. Commerce St. in Bridgeton on Saturday morning January 21st at 11 o’clock where friends will be received from 10 until 11. Military honors will follow the service.
The interment will take place privately in the family cemetery lot at Overlook Cemetery in Bridgeton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to The Samaritan Center at Voorhees, 265 NJ-73, Voorhees, NJ 08043.
Posted in: Freitag Funeral Home
Posted on: 2023-01-18
Link to original obituary: http://www.freitagfuneralhome.com/obit_search.asp?ID=4797