My Dad went to heaven on August 27, 2022, after a long battle. My dad was the happiest guy I knew and loved Jesus more than anyone I know.

This is my tribute to him.

My dad is very well known in our area…. Mainly as Mr. Kroger and a preacher, but also known as an encourager.  I wanted to share how me and my family know him.

My dad told us stories of growing up without much money.  His dad was a janitor and his mother stayed home, but 40 years after they passed, he still goes to their graves to remember them.  He loved his parents, especially his mother, dearly.  See, his mom encouraged him in his walk with God and his call to preach.

My dad knew he was called to preach at the age of 14…preached his first sermon at 16 and was ordained at age 23.  He married my mom when he was 20, and by the time he was 27, he had four kids.  It’s only fitting he married a preacher’s daughter!

My dad went to work for Kroger at age 16, and never left.  He is the second longest employee for them and pretty proud of that.  59 ½ years.  When my dad moved from the store in Vienna to the store in Belpre, over 80 customers followed him.  He wore many hats there, held many positions, but his favorite was cashier.  Why?  He loved people.  He loved making them smile.  If they didn’t smile, he would take it as a challenge.  Many times, he would pay for people’s groceries who came up short.  He always kept quarters in his pocket for kiddies and often they would ask to stand with Mr. Wilson while their moms shopped because he made them feel special. 

On Senior Citizen day, his check-out line was the longest and people did not care.  When other registers opened they would respond, it’s ok, I want to see Jim.  I remember one time, him telling of the lady who was a regular customer.  She came in one morning rather down, and she said, I had to come and see you today because I knew you would make me smile.  Always smiling, always happy, and always a joke to tell!  That’s my dad.  He said to me once, when I did, you will see a smile on my face because I know where I am going! That was my dad.  Never a cuss word did I ever hear from him.  He truly set a good example of a loyal, kind, generous Christian man.

As a preacher with four kids…well, we always had to sit still (no kid’s church back then) and be quiet.  A tough feat, especially when he was the one doing the preaching!  My dad was long-winded and usually preached out of the Old Testament.  As kids we were like – oh no!  Dad is preaching today!  I remember many times him sitting with his Bible and concordance, or he would steal away in our one bathroom to get away to prepare his sermon.  I remember him preaching, pacing back and forth and usually there was a shout of Well Glory!

When I was 6 or 7 we went to Kentucky one summer to stay with a family so he could hold revival there.  We had to walk across the creek to get to the church!  That is how I got started singing in church.  I knew the Old Rugged Cross by the time I was 18 months old.  So, when dad went to preach, they would call the Little Wilson girl to come sing and sing I did.  I am still singing today.  One particular night, when dad gave the altar call, the man next door heard.  See, there was no AC and the windows of the church were open.  The man was an alcoholic and drank all the time.  However, he heard the call and came over to the church and knelt at the altar.  He got up sober.  God was with my dad.

We were in church every time the doors were open, and we are better for it.  On a cashier’s pay, he and mom made sure we all got to play in whatever sports we wanted to, go to 4H camp, and get cars in high school.  We were taught hard work, to respect our elders and the Bible.  No better way!

My dad was a huge cut up.  He loved to pick on you with great love.  We used to have sock fights and oh those wonderful marble games.  It is a family game where usually my parents played with their friends the men vs the women.  Good times with Mister Bee Chips and RC!  And, if you were playing Rook, you definitely wanted him as a partner.  All the grandkids loved playing games with their paps.

And as a grandpa?  PAPS as he is affectionately called, you couldn’t ask for a better one.  My boys have such fond memories of being in high school and spending the night…having man talk with him or him fixing food for them and their buddies, always supporting them in whatever they did.  He would take a week of vacation during Kirsten’s spring break so she could stay with them. As a little girl he would let her sit on the arm of his chair while they watched game shows together and she would give him crazy hair.   He loved playing greedy with Wesley, fixing All American chili or burgers for me and my siblings.  He always loved hearing about the accomplishments as they got older, seeing pictures of Allison, Stephanie and Libby and their kids!  He was one proud Paps!

After my Preacher grandma passed, he carried her church for several years and after it was shut down, he encouraged many on FB.  Once he was no longer able to do that, we got so many messages asking where is Jim?  I miss his encouraging words!  One lady even came to the house and told him “I know Jesus because of you!”   We will never know how many people he touched, that touched others…. Only God knows.  But I know this, many people are better off for knowing my dad.

Today, as I am writing this, I am doing it in preparation for when the day comes we need these words.  I have started to grieve as I am watching my dad slowly slip away and I know it won’t be long. As I reached out to a friend in Texas, that does not know my dad, but has been praying for him for a while at my request, she sent me these words….

“Your dad is a saint and his coming home is very weighty in heaven.  You are preparing but so is heaven.  He will receive a hero’s welcome!  I sense this in my heart”

WOW – when she said that, I thought of the scripture, the first shall be last and the last shall be first.  My dad never filled a stadium, or had his name on TV, but he was kind to people.  He loved them, and shared Jesus with them.  I am sure he will be as surprised as anyone, because he doesn’t see himself that way, but perhaps, that is what true heroes do.

My dad may not have given me money or fame, but he gave me much more …he gave me Jesus.  I am who I am today, in part because of him.  For that, I am eternally grateful.

And since I started singing in church before my dad preached, I thought it only fitting that I sing at his last sermon, a song that is truly what he could sing right now.  (I recorded Blessed Assurance)

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I was devastated when the recording cut off during his service and it was not all played. As I asked a question of a good friend, Steve Schultz, of Elijah List, he was blessed to learn of my dad and did a write up and included my recording for Elijah List FB and Breaking Christian News website. The link is here: https://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=35988&fbclid=IwAR1cO5Dmo56 The audio recording is at the bottom of the article.

God is so faithful….. I was distraught over people not hearing at the service, and God found a way to honor my dad that would bless my heart! I am grateful!