Ernest Gordon Wilson, Jr.

E. Gordon Wilson, Jr. A Celebration of Life Service for Ernest Gordon Wilson, Jr. will be held Monday, April 30 at 10 am. Services will be held at Northside Chapel, 12050 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA 30075: Graveside service will be at 2:30 pm at Oakhill Cemetery, 797 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30023. Visitation will be held at Northside Chapel on Sunday, April 29 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm. He was preceded in death by his wife, Miriam “Mickey” McKeag Wilson. Mr. Wilson, a loving husband and father is survived by five children: Gordon H. Wilson, Robert N. Wilson, E. Lynn Wilson Smith, Thomas R. Wilson and Judy Wilson Burden as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Gordon to his friends, “Ernie” to his WW II army buddies, was born in the Wilson family home in Griffin, GA and lived there until the family moved to Eufaula, AL. The family moved to Atlanta in his teen years, where he attended Boys High School and Georgia Tech studying Electrical Engineering. He was a member of the first Boy Scout Troop in Eufaula. Gordon had a love of nature and the outdoors that stayed with him for life. He shared this mutual passion with his beloved Mickey as early members of the Appalachian Trail Club and passed that love on to his children. Gordon had an affinity for radio and early on was an amateur radio operator. As a young married man working as a telephone lineman, he was called up for duty in the U.S. Army during WW II when his adventures in wartime Europe in the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops began. The “Ghost Army” secret army unit used subterfuge and theatrical tricks to confuse the enemy about American troop movements in Europe. It is credited with saving the lives of tens of thousands of Allied troops by its tactics of deception, for which Gordon was immensely proud and grateful. After the war Gordon tried his hand at several occupations, settling in a job as a City of Atlanta Business License Inspector. He retired and joined Mickey in teaching basketry skills using natural materials. Both were members of the Basketweavers Guild of Georgia. Gordon expended considerable resources and time working to preserve the freedoms that are enjoyed in the U.S.A. He authored and published Normandy to Germany with The Ghost Army 1944-1945. In his latter years, he spoke in many public forums on the history of the Ghost Army, and was a member of the Atlanta WW II Roundtable. From an early age, Gordon’s mother instilled in him a love of Christ through the Anglican tradition of the Episcopal Church. A born-again Christian, Gordon witnessed through his many acts of generosity and mercy a Godly definition of husband, father, neighbor and friend. He loved and served his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and gave the praise and glory to God. Memorial contributions may be made to Resurrection Anglican Church Benevolent Fund, 231 Arnold Mill Rd, Woodstock GA 30188.

Ernest Gordon Wilson, Jr.

May 26, 1916 - April 24, 2012