John Davis Wilfley

Wilfley, John Davis (Jake)

Charlotte, NC: John Davis (Jake) Wilfley passed away December 24, 2012 of congestive heart failure at the Southminster Retirement Community in Charlotte, NC. Jake was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jeanne (Jeanette Macomber Wilfley) and his youngest son, Blair Davis Wilfley. Jake was born September 7, 1924, the son of Frank Pindall Wilfley, Sr. and Willie V. Beagles Wilfley on the family homestead just north of Mexico, MO. He was an active member of the 4-H Club in grade school and earned Boys State honors in high school. The days on the farm taught Jake that hard work and fortitude were important. These qualities exemplified his life and until his dying day, his hand shake was firm and his eyes steady. Jake served in the Army Air Corps from 1946 - 1949. During this time he was sent to Binghamton to learn about Link Trainers. His good fortune was to find boarding with the Macomber family and to fall in love with Jeanne. They married in 1950 in Port Dickinson and as he would say, "enjoyed 46 years of marital bliss". Jake's 41 years of work in various marketing capacities with Link took him and Jeanne across the country and around the world. Yet, it was in Port Dickinson that Jake's legacy unfurled. On April 1, 1976, it was no April Fool's joke that as a Democrat, he was elected mayor, despite a four to one Republican majority in voter registration. He proudly served in that capacity for 27 years. One of his early efforts led to the 1983 opening of the Port Dickinson Village Park. On June 17, 2000, the park was renamed the Jeanne and John D. Wilfley Village Park. Jake enjoyed people and was a friend to all who made his acquaintance. He was President of the Port Dickinson Community Association, Trustee of Community Baptist Church, and a Chenango Valley School Board member. In the early 80's he was appointed to serve on the U.S. Department of Commerce Aerospace Advisory Committee. Jake is survived by his brother, Frank P. Wilfley Jr. of Mexico, MO; son, Mark and Barbara Wilfley of Charlotte, NC (grandchildren Lindsey R. and husband Jason Slechta of Tampa, Ross D. P. and wife Leigh Wilfley of Chapel Hill and Sara Wilfley of Charlotte); son, Eric and Diane Wilfley (grandchildren Lauren V. and Brian T. Wilfley) of Gilbert, AZ; son, Grant S. Wilfley and partner Salvatore Piazzolla of New York City; and many extended family members. A memorial service will be held 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 7, 2013, at Port Dickinson Community Baptist Church with a reception to follow. On January 13 a second memorial service will be held at Southminster in Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Community Baptist Church, 743 Chenango St., Binghamton, NY 13901.