1927
2017
George Wilson
AGE: 90 • Wharton
George Wilson of Wharton, NJ passed away on September 4th at the age of 90. Family and friends are invited to gather for a Memorial Celebration in his honor on Saturday, September 16th at 1:00pm at the Birchwood Manor (111 North Jefferson Road in Whippany), with a reception to follow at the same location.
George was born in 1927 and spent his entire childhood and adolescence in Mountain Lakes, NJ, graduating from Mountain Lakes High School in 1945. After high school George served with distinction in both the United States Army and the US Marine Corps.
Upon returning from the service, George attended Drew University in Madison for three years before earning a Bachelor's Degree from Tennessee Wesleyan and a Master's in Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
After an accomplished baseball career in both high school and college, George was drafted by the Milwaukee Braves organization and ultimately reached the highest levels of their Minor League system as a right-handed pitcher. At the conclusion of his professional baseball career, he began a lifelong journey as an educator by accepting a teaching and coaching position at Parsippany High School.
In 1960, George returned to his high school alma mater as a Physical Education teacher and coach. It was at Mountain Lakes where he would become one of New Jersey's legends of coaching, winning state, county, and conference championships in both baseball and basketball. Known for teams that played with unbridled passion and disciplined precision, Coach Wilson helped establish an athletic tradition at Mountain Lakes High School the likes of which the small Morris County town had never seen.
George retired from teaching in 1986, but returned to coach baseball as an assistant at Newark Academy (Livingston) from 1999 to 2006 where his teams continued to thrive.
Aside from his 50+ years as a renowned coach and distinguished teacher, George's legacy in education is most accurately defined by the countless relationships he forged with his players and students. His impeccable and unwavering commitment to good character and ethical standards provided motivation and inspiration to all he encountered.
George was predeceased by his parents Mary Romine and George P. Wilson; his sisters Hazel, Lois, and Ruth; his brothers Howard and Bob; his former wife Janice; and his grandchildren Cheryl Grace and Michael Wilson.
Surviving are his loving wife Miriam; his son Bob and his wife Maureen; his son Cliff and his wife Elizabeth; his daughter Marylou Haraburd and her husband Doug; his daughter Janelyn Price and her husband Clay; his stepson David Pasquale and his wife Caren; and his stepdaughter Melissa O'Shaughnessy and her husband John.
"Pop-Pop" is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Alexa, Brenna, Kyla, Ian, Justin, Keely, Cade, Daphne, Dillon, Sarah, and Colin (and his wife Tatum); six step-grandchildren: Griffen, Derek, Lilly, Daniela, Trevor, and Deagan; and two great-grandchildren: Isabelle and Abigail.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "Coach Wilson Special Scholarship Fund" of the Marine Corps -- Law Enforcement Foundation (www.mc-lef.org).
To share a memory or condolence, please visit
codeymackeyfh.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Codey & Mackey Funeral Home.
so sorry to hear of George's passing! I loved working with him and loved his sense of humor... he always had something important to tell me or teach me when I came to visit. He lived a great life!
Laura Ragel
September 11, 2017
During his teaching career at Mountain Lakes High School, George would spend a huge part of his summers and evenings opening up the gym for kids to spend time playing basketball instead of simple wasting time 'hanging around". He never asked for anything except the key to the building. God only knows how many young men and women he "saved" by his ability to get them involved in sporting activities. He was an amazing man never to be forgotten.
John Grados
September 8, 2017
My deepest sympathies. Please know that God is near to comfort you. Isaiah 51 : 12
September 8, 2017
When I lost my father at the age of 11, I subconsciously sought out father figures and wound up with a composite comprised of teachers, coaches and others. George was a key father figure in my youth as he believed in doing things the right way whether it was putting on your sanitary baseball socks correctly, buttoning your basketball warm-up jacket, and especially conducting yourself around the school and the town of Mountain Lakes. George was an exemplary athlete and Marine who positively influenced the lives of so many who had the honor to play for him. I felt a tremendous personal loss when I heard that he has left us.
TAD HOWARD
September 8, 2017
TAD HOWARD
September 8, 2017
SO SORRY TO LEARN OF GEORGE'S PASSING. HE NOT ONLY WAS MY BASEBALL COACH BUT A MENTOR AND A FRIEND. HE ALWAYS HAD A KIND WORD TO SAY AND COULD REMEMBER THINGS THAT HAPPENED WHEN HE COACHED ME IAT PARSIPPANY. I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT I MUST WORK SATURDAY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEMORIAL SERVICE. BARBARA AND MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU.
GOD BLESS,
TIM WYATT
TIM WYATT
September 8, 2017
TIM WYATT
September 8, 2017
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