Charles E. Wilson

Age 63, or Adrian, went to be with our Lord in Heaven on, September 6, 2008, at his home in Adrian, MI. Charles was born April 4, 1945, the son of Charles William & Maxine Estella (Leighton) Wilson at the old Emma Bixby Hospital. He went through the Clinton School system, graduating in 1963. During his high school years he was very active in sports including track. basketball and football. He was especially good at football and received numerous "all league honors" as a running back.

Charles served his country in the O.S. Army for 2 years including a year in Vietnam, returning home as a Corporal E 4.

After his military service, he worked for various companies, King Engineering Corp., Allied Supermarkets, Household Products and Industrial Mill Supply. Charles also owned and operated his own car dealership and bought and sold antiques and contracted numerous houses over the years. He did volunteer work for many different agencies and was a great help to many of his friends.

He truly enjoyed life and playing golf with his many friends and loved to watch it on television. It was one of his favorite pastimes. He was a big fan of football and baseball and in his younger years was an avid bowler. The challenge of a good poker game along with other card games was another of his interests. He enjoyed the thrill of going to the casino and an occasional trip to Las Vegas was one of his preferred destinations.

Charles enjoyed life and with his warm smile and friendly nature he made many friends and it would be the rare person that knew him well that wouldn't have a favorite story to tell or a memory about him. He had a special knack with his humor and with that people were drawn to him and made him the popular person he was. He will be missed by many, but not forgotten. He was the type of man that every father would like his son to become. He was a special person indeed. Even through the cancer that deteriorated his body and took his life in the end; his spirit and courage thrived. He was still Charlie.

Charles was preceded in death by his father, Charles W. Wilson, (a pilot who never returned from the South Pacific in WWII), his mother, Maxine E. Wilson and his sister, Ann (Wilson) Black.

Charles wanted to thank everyone for the many cards, letters, food, and visits he received. He wanted to thank everyone for the many cards, letters, food, and visits he received. He wanted to give special recognition to his close friends; Gary Finkbeiner, Titus, Ioana, and Cris Dorobantu, Clyde and Nancy Wellwood, Mark, Carolyn and Lauren Carlton, Bonnie Burnley, Paul and Carol Herter, Grandma Powell and Sandy Ramirez. A special thank you to Pastor Bruce and Lori Jewett for his spiritual guidance and visits and to Lenawee Hospice and Great Lakes Healthcare givers; Deborah Hinson, Cindy Marine, Jenny Covell and Cathy Stevens, to name a few.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM, Friday, September 12, 2008, at J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Adrian, with Rev. Bruce Jewett officiating. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery with Military Honors conducted by the Adrian VFW Post 1584 Annis Fint. Visitation will be from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday and also on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of service at J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Adrian, MI Memorial contributions in memory of Charles may be made to Hospice of Lenawee or Lenawee Humane Society. Condolences may be offered online at: www.pursefuneralhome.com