Bob Wilson

Gene Bob Wilson, 73, of Princeton, Texas, was called home to Heaven on Friday, December 4, 2015 after a long illness.

Bob was born on April 13, 1942, in Lubbock, Texas.  He was a simple country boy raised on a cotton farm 17 miles from Lubbock in the community of New Home.  He graduated from New Home High School in 1960, and attended Texas Tech University and Arlington State College, now known as The University of Texas at Arlington.

Bob met the love of his life, Wanda Kay, when he was 18 and she was 16 years old.  They were married at Westmoreland Baptist Church in Lubbock on July 13, 1962.  Bob and Wanda were blessed to enjoy their 53rd wedding anniversary in 2015 and were honored on their 50th anniversary with a celebration hosted by their family in 2012 at Georgetown Baptist Church in Pottsboro, Tx.

Bob was a hard working family man who was the master of many trades.  Instead of following his father into cotton farming, Bob became an airplane mechanic.  During the Vietnam War in the 1960’s, Bob worked on air bases in Mobile, AL, Wrightstown, NJ, Albuquerque, NM, Waco, and Amarillo, Tx.  His next assignment would have taken them to California.  With their second baby about to arrive, they decided to settle down and Bob started working for the Lubbock Municipal Airport.

In 1972, he and 2 close friends went in business together and opened Woodwork Specialties, Inc.  For 15 years, they created custom kitchens and cabinetry, remodeled homes, and built school furniture all over the state of Texas.  In 1986, Bob began working at the Thrifty Nickel Want Ads in Lubbock.  He was the Circulation Manager for west TX and NM for 8 years.  In 1994, he opened Bob’s Chevron and U-Haul, which he ran for 5 years until his retirement in 1999.  Wanda kept the books, payroll, and taxes for both companies while maintaining her full time teaching career for more than 20 years.

When they retired in 1999, Bob and Wanda traveled across the USA, Canada, and Mexico in their RV and visited England and France.  They moved to North Texas in 2002 to be closer to their family, living in Greenville, Commerce, and Pottsboro before finally settling in Princeton.

Bob is survived by his loving wife Wanda of Princeton; daughters Mandy Weaver of Princeton and Tonya and Matt Ruiz of North Richland Hills, Tx; granddaughters Meagan and Adam Turner of Princeton and Allison Masters of McKinney, Tx; great-grandsons Logan and Garrett Turner; great-granddaughter, Brooklyn Shea; and numerous extended family members.  He was proceeded in death by his parents, Ophelia Wilson Davis and Jessie Franklin Wilson, and his brother, Billy Frank Wilson.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held at Faith Baptist Church, 1306 North 6th St, Princeton, Tx on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 2:00 pm.  Burial will follow at Wilson Chapel Cemetery.  Officiants are Pastor Stan Fike and Pastor Bobby Hancock.  Visitation will be held at the church beginning at 1pm.