THOMAS ALBERT "TOM" WILSON lovingly known
as "Tom" went to his heavenly home surrounded and
loved by his family on Sept. 19, 2016 in Marble
Falls, TX. He was the son of Thomas Lamar & Abbie
(Thompson) Wilson and was born in Ranger, TX on
March 25, 1933.
He grew up in the dusty West Texas town of Ranger
where he graduated from high school playing football,
basketball, and baseball, and then to Ranger Jr.
College where he was a cheerleader. He always said
he was the smartest guy on campus compared to the
football, basketball and baseball jocks because he
ALWAYS had the girls around him as a cheerleader. He
couldn't do much other than a forward roll, but that
didn't stop him from having fun! He later went to
North Texas State (now known as University of North
Texas) in Denton where he was also a member of Sigma
Phi Epsilon fraternity, and received his Bachelor in
Business Administration. After graduating from college,
he served in the U.S. Army for two years at the end
of the Korean war. He didn't see action, but said he
served proudly at whatever he was asked to do. Upon
moving back to Texas after the military, he settled
in Ft. Worth where he fell in love with the TCU Horned
Frogs watching any and every sporting event they had.
He loved the Horned Frogs the rest of his life. He
was also an avid Texas Ranger fan long before they
were even good. Many afternoons you would find him at
the old Ranger stadium baking himself in the hot sun
just to watch the pro team he dearly loved. He was
also a Dallas Cowboys fan during the Tom Landry days,
but then again, who wasn't a fan back then?
He went on to work in the music industry selling pianos
and organs for over 45 years retiring with Yamaha
Corporation. He traveled across the country and abroad
extensively. He absolutely loved all things music &
being around those that wrote and performed the songs
as he always appreciated any type of music from Tony
Bennett to Willie Nelson. Tom also loved to dance and
laugh while enjoying a good musical tune. As a matter
of fact, he was enjoying doing the Hula dance and Limbo
at a Hawaiian Luau while cutting up with his friends at
Arbor House on the Friday before he passed away. Having
fun until the last possible minute!
Being around so many notable people in the music industry
and at all of the sporting events he attended, he started
a $1 bill autograph collection with the likes of Bear Bryant,
George "Iceman" Gervin, Both Bush Presidents, John Madden,
Jack Lemmon, Earl Campbell, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Kenny
Loggins, Tommy Lasorda, Donna Douglas - "Elly Mae," Willie
Nelson, Ken Rosewall, Ann Richards, Charlton Heston, Harry
Carey, Brooks Robinson, Maynard Ferguson, Fats Domino; just
to name a few. He always had $1 bills in his wallet just in
case he saw someone that he didn?t have in his collection
of hundreds of autographs. As his kids, we always had to
check any money he gave to us out of his pocket to make sure
it didn't have an autograph on it! He was also an avid tennis
player with a group that played every week for years in the
Ft. Worth area, and then managed to make their way over to
Joe T Garcia's for food, fun, and lots of laughs. He always
had a smile on his face, and a joke to liven any crowd. He
never criticized or complained about things or people that
came his way. Instead, he would find a way to make them laugh,
smile, and simply enjoy life. He never met a stranger, and
wanted to let you know you were special by knowing your name.
He wanted everyone to feel loved and appreciated.
He was also a trendsetter in many ways. He wore the color
PINK long before any other man in America thought it was ok
to wear. He wore anything pink - pink shirts, pink sweaters,
pink jackets! He always looked very GQ sporting a pink Polo
shirt with khaki pants, accessorized with argyle socks, and
Cole Hahn loafers which he cherished and had revived many
times.
His most favorite "job" was lending a helping hand at Home
Grown Plants in Farmersville, TX (wholesale/retail nursery
that Gena & Albert Evans own) where he was known to water
and tend to every plant in sight. He also tended to customers
that came by helping them pick out the perfect items, toting
them to the car all the while telling jokes and making them
feel welcome. Of course - the consummate gentleman!
He is survived by his two daughters and sons-in-law; Lisa &
Rusty Crawford of Burnet, TX, Gena & Albert Evans of Garland,
TX; grandchildren Jenni & Nathan Mattox of Burnet, TX, Mary
Alex Crawford of Bastrop, TX, J.R. & Sarah Villanueva of
McKinney, TX, Austin Villanueva of Garland, TX; great-grand-
children Crawford & Gwen Mattox, Lia & Lilly Villanueva as
well as countless forever friends.