James Royce "Jim" Wilson

James "Jim" Royce Wilson was born to Royce James Wilson and Minnie Simcoe Wilson on November 16, 1947, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Jim went home to be with the Lord, on Thursday, June 20, 2024, a day he had long looked forward to.
Jim is preceded in death by his cherished wife Dianne Wilson, both parents; one brother-in-law, Alvin Vangilder; and one grandchild, Sage Hayashi.
Jim is survived by his children: David Wilson, of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, Daniel Wilson and wife Ginny, of Granite City, Illinois, Donna Mitchell and husband Tony, of Lincoln, Arkansas, Denise Wilson, of Bedford, Indiana, Dawn Weir and husband Kyle, of Siloam Springs, AR.; grandchildren: Aryana Davin and husband Kyle, Luke Mitchell, Kade Mitchell, Mae Hayashi, Lydia Wilson, Charis Wilson, Abigail Wilson, Amelia Weir, Emma Weir; brothers-in-law: Dennis Vangilder and wife Wanda, Andy Vangilder and wife Jill, and sister-in-law, Regina Vangilder.
Royce, Jim's father, contracted painting and Jim would go to work with him from time to time as he was growing up.
He graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1966 and then attended Arkansas Tech in Russellville, AR, with the money he saved from working at Gibson's Discount Store in downtown Little Rock during his junior and senior years in high school. While at Tech, his last semester he milked cows on their farm, which paid for his room and board.
After two years at Arkansas Tech, Jim attended the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. In April of 1969, he met the love of his life, Deborah Dianne Vangilder, in a bed race which was one of the dorm events in Hallaballoo week at the UofA. He asked her out on a date for the next Saturday and she accepted. In May he asked her to go steady and gave her his high school ring. In June Jim gave her an engagement ring and they got married in December. They were married on December 20, 1969, in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The next September, after graduating from the U of A, Jim joined the Marines where he ended up in a guard unit at POMFLANT, a naval weapons station in South Carolina. This was where the Navy stored nuclear missiles for the Polaris submarines in the Atlantic.
After serving two years in the Marines, he returned to Arkansas and worked as an inspector for the Arkansas State Plant Board in eastern Arkansas. They were blessed with their first child David during this time. While working for the Plant Board he worked alongside a man named Ernest Hill, who helped him grow in his faith and in his understanding of the Bible. The Lord brought Ernest into his life at just the right time.
In the spring of 1973, he and Dianne decided to move to Northwest Arkansas. Jim got a job with Tyson Foods as a broiler service tech. In June of 1974, they purchased a 40-acre beef farm outside of Siloam Springs, Arkansas where they lived until both of their passing. Jim worked for Tyson Foods for 22 years. During that time, they were blessed with Danny in 1974, Donna in 1976, Denise in 1979, and Dawn in 1981. Jim's last job for Tyson was managing Tyson's Research Farm for 8 years in Springdale, Arkansas.
In 1995 Jim left Tyson Foods and went to work for Peterson Farms (after a couple of months of boxing up Christmas cards for Dayspring in Siloam Springs). Jim serviced pullets and hens at Peterson Farms in Decatur until he retired in 2008.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing and family get-togethers, where he could tease his grandkids. As Jim grew older, he was able to spend more and more time reading the Bible, which he treasured along with spending time with Dianne.
A visitation will be held at Sager Creek Community Church on Monday, June 24, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The memorial service, officiated by Pastor Kyle Weir, will follow the visitation at 10:30 a.m. The graveside service will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery following the service at 12:00 p.m.