James “Jim” Harvey Wilson of McKinney, Texas passed away at the age of 86 on June 18, 2016 after a ten year battle with Parkinson’s and leukemia. He was born in Chicago, Illinois to James and Marcella Wilson on February 22, 1930. Jim was raised in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. During that time, he even attended a one room schoolhouse. Jim’s lifelong love of aviation began at an early age building model planes, learning to fly gliders and hanging around the airport. He worked his way up acquiring many certificates and ratings. Those that knew him were aware that he was very mechanical minded and could fix just about everything. Jim met Janice, his wife of 55 years in La Porte, Indiana. They moved to Dallas in 1961. Jim was very fortunate meeting Jake Cobb who in turn got him a position flying with him for Hunt Oil Co. Jim retired from Hunt after 30 memorable years. It didn’t take long to be bored golfing every day, so he did some part time maintenance and flying for Sky Helicopter in Garland and did this for several more years.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Janice Wilson of McKinney; daughter, Marci Bowen and husband Rick; granddaughter, Blakelee Pemberton; great-grandchildren, Zoey and Jackson; and several nieces, nephews and other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert; and sister, Marcia.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home Chapel in Allen, Texas with Pastor Ron Key officiating.
The family request memorial donations be made in Jim’s honor to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation at www.pdf.org or Frontiers of Flight Museum at www.flightmuseum.com/donate.