Memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Pleasant View Bible Church, Aurora, Nebraska. Family burial will be prior to the memorial service. Pastor Bob Gannon will officiate. Visitation will be Friday evening at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary from 5 to 7pm. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

Don was born June 5, 1933, in Hastings. He was the son of DeRoy and Wylda (Springer) Wilson. He grew up and lived on the family farm. He attended Franklin country school, graduated from Giltner High School and Grace College of the Bible. After graduating from Grace, he attended Hastings College. He was then drafted into the U S Army where he served 2 years state side at Fort Holabird, Md.

He was united in marriage to Ann Nelson in 1963. They lived most of their married life on the Wilson Farm southwest of Giltner until 2003 when they moved to an acreage in the country east of Giltner. They were married 58 years. Their family consisted of Daniel, Lisa and Andrew.

Don enjoyed being a farmer, beginning his profession with his father DeRoy, raising hogs. Soon pivot irrigation came along so corn and soybean production took over and he left the hog farming behind. Don was always on the go enjoying his occupation of farming, he loved to work and had many dedicated employees over the years.

Don served on various boards in younger years, President of Nebraska Hog Producers, Giltner School Board, Hamilton County Extension and different airplane clubs. Don was a life time member of Pleasant View Bible Church. The Church was important to him and he enjoyed the teachings and fellowship he found there. He loved the Lord and wanted others to know Him too.

Don had many interests, he especially enjoyed flying his airplane, reading and using the computer. He loved his children and grandchildren and really delighted in his grandchildren and following them in their activities. He had an amazing attitude after suffering a severe stroke in 2006, but he persevered, and was able to live at home for another 12 years before he entered Westfield Quality Care.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Ann; their children, Daniel and Julie Wilson of Giltner, Lisa and Brian Ertel of Eden Prairie, Minn. and Andrew and RaeLynn Wilson of Giltner; grandchildren, Claire Wilson (fiancée, Barrett Smith), Grant and Laura Wilson, Kendal and Megan Wilson, Kyla and Brooke Wilson, Zachary, Callie, Sophie and Nicholas Ertel; sister, Marilyn Voss and many nieces and nephews.

Don was preceded in death by his parents.

The family wishes to thank Westfield Quality Care for their love and compassionate care these last 4 years and also, TheraCare Hospice for their care these last few months.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Grand Island Independent on Oct. 25, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Don Wilson

Sponsored by Higby-McQuiston Mortuary.

3 Entries

Ginny Flegel

October 28, 2022

I have so many fond memories of my Uncle Don. I remember when Aunt Ann brought him to our house to first meet him.... So cute & he teased us immediately! He spoiled my brother and me when we would see him in the summer either in NE on the pig farm or when he would fly to ND and we´d get rides in his plane. He always had a smile and a great sense of humor! And I am so very glad that I was able to visit with him this summer and even sang with him... he loved "You Are My Sunshine." Peace to you, Uncle. Love you!

Alfred Salmon

October 27, 2022

Such sad news of your passing, Don. Little did I know that you spent the last 4 years just a block away from where I live. I would have loved to come over and visit with you about the Good Old Days back in 1950's when our family AF and Luella Salmon lived on your parents farm when my father, AF was working for your parents. Such good memories I have of those years while living there and your Father, DeRoy and Mother, Wylda treating us kids as one of her own, I might add. Living in that old house was the first time we had electricity in our house. DeRoy had Bud Plant come out and install a Power Pole in the yard so we could have light in the house at night. Not only did we have light in the kitchen but even had a yard light to boot which really help not only dad but us kids to get our daily chores done in the winter.
At the time their were six of us kids that attended the Old Franklin School a couple miles east of the farm where we lived. Walking to School in the winter months was really changeling for us when the weather was bad. As I recall, your father DeRoy, went to a auction somewhere and bought five horses so we didn't have to walk to School each day. If memory serves me right, we had names for them all. It seems there was "Rocket". "Pal", Queenie", "Snowball and her Black and White Colt, "Candy". For some odd reason or other than getting Older myself, I can't remember the last name of the 5 horses but, all of us kids have fond memories living there and going to the Franklin School where "Mary Lou Wondersee" was our teacher at the time. Brother Rex and his wife went up to "Thousand Oaks, Ca." to visit with Mary Lou and her husband a few times over the years but both have since passed away. I might add that brother's Rex, Steve and sister Pauline have since passed away also. I'm sure that Don will have plenty of other friends to greet him when he enters the "Gates of Heaven". Rest In Peace Don. You'll be missed by all that ever came in contact with you. From one Service Personal to Another, Rest In Peace my Man.......Fred, Danny and Alvin Salmon

JOHN THIEL

October 25, 2022

SO SORRY TO HERE ABOUT THE PASSING OF DON.HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF HIM COMING TO THE COOP STATION TO HAVE COFFEE.

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