Donald D. Wilson

January 17, 1935 - November 5, 2016

Donald David Wilson went home to be with the Lord surrounded by his wife, children and loved ones on November 5, 2016. He is survived by his wife Judith, his children--Gary, Cheryl, David (the late Cynthia), and Katherine (David), his twelve grandchildren--Amy, Sarah, Joshua, Gretchen, Jennifer, John, David (Tiffany), Rebekah (Tim), Rachel (Dan), Daniel, Joshua, and Anna, and his five great-grandchildren--Rory, Suri, Everest, Olivia and Titus. Don was born in Ironton, Ohio to Joseph and Mary Wilson on January 17, 1935. He had one younger sister named JoAnna who he was very fond of teasing. His family moved to Louisville, Kentucky when Don was five. Both his mother and father worked very hard, but times were difficult. They lived in a housing project in Louisville and his Dad worked two full time jobs to provide for the family. Both Don and his sister were sent to spend summers on his grandparent's farm in Eastern Kentucky. They were devout Christians and introduced them both to their faith in Jesus Christ. He often reflected that those summers were his sweetest childhood memories. He met his wife Judy while in high school and they were married when he was twenty. He had been pursuing a degree in physics at a local college, but gave up school to provide for his family. Over the next six years they had four children. Don had worked doing a wide range of jobs for a freight company that his father managed in Louisville---from cleaning the office to driving a truck. He moved up quickly within the company and was transferred to Kansas City to manage the freight terminal there. They lived in Kansas City for two years and then they were transferred to St. Louis where he became the Executive Vice President of Middlewest Freightways and later in his life worked for Supervan. The family attended Green Trails Baptist Church (Chesterfield Community Church) and has been very active there for 45 years now. Don served as a trustee, deacon and an elder for many years. He was also very active in a ministry to Russian immigrants in the St. Louis area. As with any ministry, he used to say, "you start out thinking you are going to bless them, but you are the one that is blessed over and over again." Although Don would often say that his wife, kids, grandkids, and great grandkids were the joy of his life, he was always quick to acknowledge that the most important relationship in his life was the one he had with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He believed that if he always kept that relationship first it would enable him to be a good husband, father and grandfather. Services: Funeral service Friday, Nov. 11, 11am at Chesterfield Community Church, 14647 Ladue Road, Chesterfield 63017. Interment Bellerive Forever Heritage Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Smile Train, PO Box 96231, Washington, D.C. 20090 would be appreciated. Online guestbook at buchholzmortuary.com. VISITATION THURS, NOV 10, 4-8PM at BUCHHOLZ Mortuary West, 2211 Clarkson Road (at Wilson Road), Chesterfield, MO 63017.