Lt. Col. Earl J. Wilson's Obituary
Lt. Col. Earl J. Wilson, Sr., a decorated war hero, entrepreneur and evangelist, died at his home in Goodbee, Saturday, December 17, 2005. He was 88. After retiring from the Army in 1961, “Col. Wilson” founded the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, co-founded and was the first Grand Marshal of Covington’s Krewe of Olympia, and served as Charter Head Master of River Forest Academy, now the site of Kehoe-France Northshore School. He also ran an active tax service and, with his eldest son, presided over Colonel & Son’s Diner in Covington’s Old Southern Hotel. In heroic service during WW II and the Korean Conflict, he earned 17 decorations, among them the Army’s Silver Star for gallantry in action and two Bronze Stars for valor in combat. He received two Purple Hearts for wounds in France and Korea and, in WW II, was among the first American Troops to liberate the Nazi death camp at Dachau. Wilson also saw duty in Hawaii, Panama and Taiwan. A deeply committed Christian, Col. Wilson taught numerous home Bible studies and, for years, commuted across Lake Pontchartrain to make cold calls upon New Orleans businessmen for the purpose of sharing faith. He was a member of Northshore Bible Church in Covington. Col. Wilson is preceded in death by his wife Isabella Breaux Wilson, and daughter Sylvia Wilson Glockner. He is survived by two sons Earl Jr. and Jim, daughter Debbie Diamond, daughters-in-law Helen Motichek Wilson and Pam Mackert Wilson, sons-in-law Harold Glockner and David Diamond, and nine grandchildren: Terry Glockner, Brandy, Casey, Jamie, Jeremy and Joe Wilson; and Sam and Luke Diamond. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend Funeral Services on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 11:00 AM from the Chapel at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, Inc., 2260 W. 21st Ave., Covington, LA 70433. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 20, 2005 from 6-9:00 PM and Wednesday from 9:30 AM until Service time. Interment will follow at Theo Dendinger Cemetery in Madisonville. Donations in honor of Col. Wilson may be made to evangelist Barry Haindel at the non-profit Life Resources, 233 Oak Lane, Mandeville, LA 70448.
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