Joseph Milton Wilson, aged 72 years.
Born February 19, 1951, to Robert and Muriel Wilson, died January 28, 2024.
Joe graduated from St George High School as valedictorian, then went on to Cowley County Community College, and graduated from Sterling College while playing football at both schools. He began his career as a teacher and coach before completing his Master’s Degree at Kansas State University.
Over the course of his career, he coached football, basketball, track, and baseball. He brought his passion to all, but football was always his first love. Joe told Ellen more than once that coaching football was his vocation in life. He loved everything about coaching football; the strategies of the game, the sound of the pads crashing together during a play, the cold nights, the hot practices, and analyzing each and every play. So many scraps of paper with a play diagram he had to get down while he was thinking about it.
Nothing brought him more joy than coaching his players. He didn't just coach them in the game, he coached them in life as well. So many of his former players still call him “coach”. He was known so prolifically as “coach” that to many it may as well have been his actual first name. He hurt when one of his players was struggling with their personal life and prayed for them all the time. He took great joy when meeting a former player and hearing about the families they had or the careers they had chosen. While he loved coaching every one of his players, nothing brought him greater joy than when he was able to coach his own sons in the sport he loved.
Joe met Ellen in 1989 when she took Casey trick or treating in the neighborhood and a year later they started dating. It all started when she reluctantly went to the Ranch with some friends and he was there. He saw her, sent her a beer, stood up to go talk to her, immediately realizing he had one beer too many to speak to her without sounding like a fool, and left. The next day while, he was driving through the neighborhood, he saw her moving furniture into her house and he stopped to help her.
After that meeting, she would often find that Casey had made his way to Coach Wilson’s house instead of playing with his friends. Casey would be sitting on the arm of Joe’s chair and they would be watching football and drinking a beer. Casey had a root beer of course while Joe had a beer. Joe always had rootbeer for Casey. After Ellen made many apologies to Joe for Casey inviting himself in, Joe finally asked Ellen out – to what else – a football game. That began their life story. Two months later he proposed, to which she promptly burst out laughing thinking he was joking until he picked her up off the counter, carried her to the couch, and got down on one knee before asking her again.
Joe and Ellen celebrated 32 years of marriage this past August. A marriage that has seen some beautiful times and some horribly rough times. Joe was so thrilled to have Casey stand next to him when he married Ellen, his little buddy was now going to be his son. Then, together, they faced the near death of their son Michael at birth and the joy when they learned he was going to be okay. Last came their son Sam and their family was complete.
The boys grew up and did all the things boys do. He took them with him as soon as they were able to be away from Mom. “I’m going into town, who wants to come with me?” Babies between feedings didn’t bother him, he would just plan his trip around their nursings, strap them in, and off they would go.
The boys grew up spending Sundays at the football locker room during the Fall. While Dad was watching film and preparing scouting reports, they were running around the football field doing “stuff”. He loved spending time with his boys and he found whatever way he could to do that.
Life brought immeasurable struggles when Sam died. Joe was so strong in his faith and he leaned heavily into it. A vow was made that night between Joe and Ellen that they would get through it together with God’s strength. Joe’s faith never waivered, only deepened. Joe relied on his faith to keep him strong, even when he was having a hard day, he just prayed harder. Joe’s strength is what carried Ellen through. Together they learned how to live again.
Great joy came with the birth of their twin granddaughters, Madeline and Cordelia. Oh my goodness, two beautiful babies to hold and to love. Joe was a grandpa but also an “Umpa”. He didn’t just have grandkids, he had grant kids. He treasured everything about those roles. There wasn’t a child he didn’t like, a baby he couldn’t calm, kids flocked to him and he loved it. He dressed up as Santa Claus this year and went and surprised some littles – oh man he was in hog heaven and so excited to be putting on that Santa Suit that hung in his office until he passed.
Joe is survived by his wife Ellen, his son Casey (Tiara), son Joseph Michael (Anne LoGrippo), his brothers Bill, Dick (Myrna), and sister Barb (Lee). His granddaughters Maddie and Lia, his grant children Gavin, Madison, Ethan, Logan, Bowen and Emma. His bonus kids, Jesse, Kendra and Alex, although we couldn’t adopt you legally, we adopted you with our hearts, and his heart was so full with each of you. His many nieces, and nephews as well as their children. He was preceded in death by his son Sam, his mother Muriel, and father Robert.
He is also survived by his best friends Mike Westgate and Mike Beam, so many dear friends, colleagues, former students, players, and so many others who filled Joe’s life with laughter and happiness.
Joe has left a huge gap in so many lives, every one of which has been blessed to have Joe a part of it.
The family will hold a visitation for all who wish to attend on Thursday, February 2nd from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home. A service will be held at Crestview Christian Church on Friday, February 3rd at 10:00 a.m. immediately followed by an interning of ashes at St. George Cemetery. There will be a gathering after the inurnment at the old family home at 11955 Military Trail Road in St. George. Please join the family and take a moment to write down some of your stories for Ellen and their sons to read at a later time.
Hug your people - life changes in an instant.
You are so loved Joe.