Lawrence Allan Wilson Sr.

1934 - 2020

LAWRENCE ALLAN WILSON, SR. Lawrence Allan Wilson, Sr. of Wilmington passed peacefully from his earthly life Thursday, April 30 at his home with his wife Laura by his side. He was born October 26, 1934 in rural Pender County, the son of the late Boney Edward Wilson, Sr. and Eloise Wells Wilson. After high school, he attended and graduated from Campbell College (now Campbell University). He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years Laura Bowling Wilson and sons Lawrence Allan Wilson, Jr., Lanny Thomas Wilson (Jill) and Michael Lynn Wilson (Ginger) and daughter Linda Jean Wilson and a host of wonderful grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Ed and sister Lenora. Allan was a devout Christian who served his Lord in many capacities, including as a Sunday School teacher, Deacon, Usher, Trustee and a Member of various church committees. He was currently a member of Winter Park Baptist Church. He was an avid golfer and spent many enjoyable days on the links at Pine Valley and Landfall Country Clubs. Allan was a member of the King Solomon Lodge in Burgaw, Burgaw Jaycees and Elks Club in Wilmington. He was a member and served as president of the Cape Fear Lions Club, a founding member of the Landfall Foundation Board, and was on the board of directors of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and Wilmington Merchants Association. He was past president and served on the board of directors of the NC Food Dealers Association and was awarded their highest honor "Grocer of the Year" in 1993. Allan was a lifelong advocate of education and was instrumental in raising funds for scholarships via golf tournaments for UNCW. He and his wife were also major contributors to Cape Fear Community College funding an endowed scholarship and contributing to their Humanities and Performing Arts Center and were the first inductees to the CFCC Visionaries Society. Allan was President and CEO of Wilson's Supermarkets which served southeastern North and South Carolina for 75 years. The Wilson family business began in a country store at Long Creek in Pender County in 1919. The store sold everything from horse collars to crackers out of a barrel with a gas pump thrown in for those that were into the new fangled machines. Allan learned the trade as a young boy working alongside his father at Long Creek. He learned that the grocery business was very hard work that demanded long hours and that in order to succeed, you had to provide your customers with the provisions they wanted and to also keep on top of ever aspect of the operations. When Allan finished college, he and his brother Ed opened stores in Burgaw and Warsaw and then decided to break into the Wilmington market. Word passed amongst the mega chains such as A & P, Colonial Stores and Winn Dixie that these "two country boys" didn't have the moxie to compete in a cosmopolitan area. Proud of their country boy heritage, Allan and Ed accepted the challenge and adopted the motto "The country boys are coming to town." The country boys took the town by storm and expanded with stores throughout eastern North and South Carolina. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, interment will be private and a celebration of life at Winter Park Baptist Church will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Salvation Army, Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center, or to the Allan and Laura Wilson Scholarship Fund at Cape Fear Community College. The entire family wishes to express their appreciation to Phil Davis for his dedication to and loving care of Allan during his final year.