WILSON, James P. 1909-2000

EDGAR, WILSON, PETERS, SEVERSON, KLOOSSOWSKY, HAUSER

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 5/11/2014 at 11:08:06

James P. "J.P." Wilson

James P. (J.P.) Wilson, 91, of New Hampton, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000, at his home in New Hampton of natural caused.

Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 25, at 10 a.m. at the Larkin-Martin-Hugeback Funeral Home in New Hampton, with the Rev. Catherine Luck of the United Methodist Church of New Hampton officiating. Burial was at the New Hampton City Cemetery. Larkin-Martin-Hugeback Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Pallbearers were James P., James P. III, Michael L., and Peter T. Wilson and Dennis Moore. Honorary bearers were Edward A. Severson, Jonathan W. Wilson, Royal H. Benson III, Randy Fike, Benjamin M. Wilson, Ryan Fike and Miguel Henry.

James P. Wilson was born June 15, 1909, in New Hampton, the son of William J. "Billy" and Lillian M. (Edgar) Wilson.

He received his education in the New Hampton schools. On June 14, 1930, in New Hampton, he married Mabel M. Peters.

J.P. worked on the Milwaukee Road starting in 1928 and then going to the Chicago Great Western, where he became a section foreman and later a track supervisor until 1946. In 1946 he became general chairman of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees on the Great Western Road. In 1958 he was elected as an international vice president of the B. of M.W E. (AFof L).

At the time of his retirement in July 1972 he was the senior vice president and chairman of both the Grand Lodge Executive Board and the Grand Lodge of Trustees in Detroit, Mich. He held a lifetime membership in the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees for over 50 years of continuous membership.

He was a lifelong resident of New Hampton except for 16 years, when he and his wife lived in Minnesota, returning to New Hampton in 1974. In his free time, J.P. enjoyed fishing, hooking pillows and wall hangings, painting by number and spending time at their lake home in Atwater, Minn.

Survivors include one daughter, Mary Jane (Arlin) Severson of New Hampton; one son, James P. (Dorothy) Wilson of Waterloo; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mae Kloossowsky of Waverly. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mabel, who died July 21, 1984; two sisters, Grace Hauser and Mildred Kloossowsky; two brothers, Charles and Glenn Wilson; and infant twins at birth.

Newspaper clipping from the Decorah, Iowa newspaper The Public Opinion.