Robert Wayne Wilson (1922-2013)

WILSON, MIDLANG, FOSNESS

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 7/5/2013 at 22:43:02

From Stevens Memorial Chapel obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

Robert Wayne Wilson
February 24, 1922 - May 16, 2013

Robert Wayne Wilson was born on February 24, 1922, the only child of Lawrence and Hilda Wilson. He lived most of his life in Des Moines, Iowa except for a few childhood years in Pella and Colfax, and the last five years in Ames. He graduated from Des Moines North High School in 1940. He was proud to have served in the U.S. Air Force during WWII and then during the Korean Conflict.

After his service during WWII Bob attended Iowa State College on the G.I. Bill and met Lorraine Midlang at a campus mixer. They were married on March 10, 1951 at Westover Air Force Base where he was stationed. Bob and Lorraine lived in Massachusetts for a year, enjoying many sight-seeing trips around the area, before returning to Des Moines. They were blessed with two children and were happily married for 53 years until Lorraine's death in 2004. Bob is remembered as being a caring father and husband.

Bob worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for 29 years, retiring in 1982. He and several employees went to the Black Hills in 1962 to work on the Telstar satellite project, one of the first communication satellites ever launched. He helped with the first live television transmissions from Telstar and really enjoyed the unique experience.

He was a long time member of the Telephone Pioneers volunteer organization and enjoyed repairing talking book machines for the Iowa Department for the Blind. In 1998 his repair group received the Governor's Volunteer Award. Bob had a knack for electronics and over the years he enjoyed building, repairing and using a basement-full of technological treasures. He was also an avid amateur radio operator. His technical skills served him and others well throughout his life.

Bob had a good sense of humor and enjoyed telling jokes and stories. He and his family were members of St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines for many years. Bob passed away on May 16, 2013 at Green Hills Care Center in Ames where he had lived since March of this year. He is survived by his daughter Karen Wilson and his son Kent Wilson, both of Ames; sister-in-law Darlene (Roger) Fosness of Waseca MN; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorials can be directed to the family for the Telephone Pioneers.

http://www.stevensmemorialchapel.com/
 

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