Roland Alan Wilson

Roland A. (“Skip”) Wilson passed away peacefully Saturday, November 9, 2019 at his home.  Roland was 73 and had only been enjoying retirement for a few years before being diagnosed with the illness he so bravely faced.   Few ever fought a more courageous battle to regain one’s health.

                In his youth, Skip attended Oklahoma Military Academy (once known as the “West Point of the Southwest” and is located in Claremore, Oklahoma; entered active service; and received his orders to deploy to Viet Nam.  After returning to the states and completing a Bachelors degree in Science from Northeastern State University, Skip took on many roles during his working years: Operating outdoor entertainment equipment, such as the “Tornado” roller coaster as Wilson’s Rides, Inc., a family-owned business, which evolved into several overseas tours joining other ride owners on these excursions, including one to the Dominican Republic to raise money for a children’s foundation in Santiago.  On several occasions, he turned to sales and at one time won a rookie of the year award for the most sales selling real estate, although while he worked at ABC Auto in Tampa, Florida (“home of the shining star”), despite tough competition, he frequently made top salesman of the month.  He and his wife Carol opened a Barbeque Restaurant and campground in the Ouachita Mountains in Southeastern Oklahoma with “Aunt Marie’s BBQ Sauce” recipe and soon earned the respect of the community for their dedication to catering the Horse Riding Organizations that visited the nearby Cedar Lake Campgrounds.  As he neared retirement, he worked with Sean Burns, driving for Mackinaw Shuttle, the Burns’ family-owned transportation company operating out of Pellston, Michigan and Skip so often exhibited his propensity for entertaining while he regaled his passengers with colorful folklore of the north, as well as points of interest, both in Michigan as well as other parts of the United States and abroad from knowledge he had acquired traveling with the Wilson Family-owned business, and also his travels and duties in the military.   Despite the varied twists and turns his vocations took, Skip’s greatest enjoyment and passion was as a training instructor, both during his tour of duty in the Army before his honorable discharge at the rank of Captain, and the private sector.  He loved to lead and challenge others to be their best, and to serve both God and country.

It was during his service for his country that he was exposed to what caused his final illness, and this writing would be remiss to omit that despite the origins of his illness, he could be heard to say he would take up the challenge and fight yet again for his country.

Roland’s parents: Cliff and Alena Wilson, his mother: Vondeen Isbell and her husband Lawrence Isbell, and brother Jimmy Dale Wilson predeceased him in death.

Skip is survived by his loving and devoted wife of thirty-six (36) years: Carol S. Davis Wilson; sister-in-law Judith Wood; brother-in-law Patrick Davis with nieces and nephews, and is also survived by his two children:  daughter: Laura S. Hood of Zephyrhills, FL; and son: Christopher A. Wilson of Florida; their mother: Sally S. Bliss Wilson and her husband: Steve Wallace of Florida; her sister: Nancy Moulden of Minnesota with her children: son: Lance Godard of Ohio; and daughter: Kelly Hoefflin of Minnesota.

Roland is also survived by four grandchildren and three great grandsons.

Also surviving are sister-in-law: Elsa Lundquist Lewis (wife of Jimmy Dale Wilson); their daughter: Cerese Wilson Dewart and her daughter: Ally Cook of Oklahoma.

Skip also left behind sisters: Debbie Dryden of Clackamas, Oregon; Lowanda Ancheta of Newburg, Oregon; Judy Stephens of Molalla, Oregon and brother: Steve Isbell of Colton, Oregon.  Other family members include an uncle and several cousins in both Arkansas and Oklahoma.

We wish to also include our foster son, Charles Williamson, of Florida.

A pictorial memorial will be held this Sunday, November 17, 2019 at the Alanson Church of the Nazarene and will start immediately after the 11:00 service (close to noon). The address is 7489 Mission Road, Alanson, MI.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for your support in the form of donations to a local respite and retreat for disabled veterans’ and their families’: Brave Hearts Estate; 4171 Ely Road, Pellston, MI 49769.

Interment will be in 2020, in a National Cemetery, place and time to be determined.

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