Jack Wilson Obituary: Published in the Houston Chronicle from 6/15/2003 - 6/16/2003. JACK EMILUS WILSON, 76, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather passed away June 11, 2003 in Houston, Texas. He was predeceased by his parents E.E. (Jack) Wilson and Irene Charpiot Wilson. Jack lived a gratifying, extraordinary life which began July 19, 1926 in Orange Field, Texas. He attended high school in Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas while working part time as a sports broadcaster and radio announcer for his father's radio station. He graduated college at the University of Houston in the class of 1950 with a degree in History. While at U of H, he was the business manager for the Cougar newspaper and yearbook, and was selected one of the schools ten outstanding people in 1950. He helped arrange the purchase and air transportation of the first U of H Cougar mascot, Shasta, from the King Wild Animal Ranch. After his graduation, he stayed very involved with U of H and became the school's second Alumni director. Jack met his wife of 54 years, Mary Lou Moffitt, at U of H and they were married June 5, 1949 at St. James Episcopal Church in Houston. During the cold war, he served as the Civil Defense Director of the Port of Houston where he organized over 30 ship channel industries into a mutual aid disaster organization. He also served as Director of Operations for the Houston Harris County Civil Defense Corps being in charge of developing emergency plans for the city, county, and key industries in case of nuclear attack. During this time, he was selected to witness with his wife the 2nd test of an atomic bomb explosion in Nevada. In 1957, he moved his family to Denton, Texas to join his brother Welcome Wilson, Sr., as the Director of Plans and Operations for the five state office of Civil and Defense Mobilization of the Federal Government. The emergency operation plan he developed in the event of a nuclear attack for five states and for fourteen key Federal Agencies was adopted by the national headquarters as the standard emergency plan for country. During his tenure with the Federal Government he received the Sustained Superior Performance Award and was promoted to the civilian equivalent of Brigadier General of the US Army. Jack left the Federal Government in 1964 and returned to Houston with Mary Lou and their two children at the time, Charlene and Kathy, to focus his career on resort development in Galveston, Texas as a founding partner in the Jamaica Corporation. His partners included his brother Welcome Wilson, Sr., Johnny Goyen, a former Houston City Councilman and Mayor pro-tem, Jack Valenti, President of the Motion Picture Association, and William Sherrill, former Federal Reserve Board Director and currently Chairman of the School of Entrepreneurship at the College of Business in the University of Houston. He and his partners developed resort subdivisions including Jamaica Beach, Tiki Island, Sea Isle, Terramar, Treasure Island and Spanish Grant on Galveston West Bay. Other developments of his company included Circle D Country Acres in Bastrop, Texas, Holiday Shores on Lake Livingston, the Fox Hall and Kingsbrook apartments in Houston, the Villa Marina Apartments in Galveston, the sixth Marriott Hotel in the world in Houston, and they founded the Colonial Savings Association and the Homestead State Bank. Jack's company was the second largest owner of the Houston Sports Association, owner of the Houston Astros and operator of the Astrodome. Jack was the director of Aberdeen Petroleum Corporation, an American Stock Exchange Company. Subsequently, Jack was a developer in Harris County including subdivisions in the Lake Houston area as well as Lakewood Forest and Lakewood Park in Houston. When he died he was a principal in GSL Industrial Partners the landlord of 40 industrial buildings in metropolitan Houston. Throughout Jack's career and up until his passing, he and his brother Welcome have been partners in a variety of commercial real estate endeavors including real estate development, brokerage, and investment throughout Texas. One of Jack's passions was music and as a hobby, he formed a charity big band called the Houston High Rollers which he founded nearly 25 years ago. He wrote all of the arrangements, played the piano and was the leader of the band. The band did not charge for their performances, but donated their time by playing for various charitable causes. Members of the band, which grew to 20 pieces, were made up of Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers and other business professionals. Over the life of the band, they contributed over $300,000 in musical talent to major Texas charitable organizations such as The Sunshine Kids, St. Judes Hospital, the University of Houston Alumni Scholarship Fund, The Window of Opportunity Fund, Big Brother Big Sister, American Cancer Society, Herman/Methodist Charity Hospital, The Houston Symphony, Make A Wish Foundation, the Houston Harris County Medical Society, and many more. Friends and family will all remember Jack as a very kind and charitable man who loved his family, big band music, boating on West Bay, and the University of Houston Cougars. He had many other interests including bird watching, history, cooking, studying military history, genealogy, astronomy, chess, and fishing. He rode on the Salt Grass Trail Ride beginning in 1967 and was one of the founding members of the award winning Desperado Trail Ride Group on the Salt Grass Trail Ride. His accomplishments were many and his compassion for others had no bounds. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Jack is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou Wilson; four children, Charlene Wilson-Wasaff, Kathlene Wilson, John Wilson, Jennifer Wilson-Pittman and husband Michael; six grandchildren, Jackie Wilson and husband Glen, Jason Wasaff, Dennis Frost, Ryan Wasaff, Clayton Frost, and Brandon Wilson; two great grandchildren, Joshua Wilson and Jeremy Wilson; his brother Welcome Wilson, Sr. and his wife Joanne; his sister Beverly Wilson Smith and her husband Gary, and his brother-in-law, John Nahas. He is also survived by many other family members and close friends. The family wishes to thank Dr. Richard Lock, Dr. Tom Garcia and the entire staff at the West Houston Medical Center. In lieu of flowers and for those that desire, memorial contributions may be given to the San Jacinto Girl Scout Campership Fund sent to: In Memory of Jack Wilson, Campership Fund, 3110 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77098, or the University of Houston Library attention: Molly Block, 114 University Libraries, Houston, Texas 77204-2000. Friends are invited to a visitation with the family beginning 5:00 PM with a tribute to Jack beginning at 6:30 PM on Monday, June 16, 2003 at The Courtyard on St. James located at 1885 St. James Place. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Friends and family will all remember Jack as a very kind and charitable man who loved his family, big band music, boating on West Bay, and the University of Houston Cougars. He had many other interests , including bird watching, history, cooking, studying military history, genealogy, astronomy, chess, and fishing. He rode on the Salt Grass Trail Ride, beginning in 1967 and was one of the founding members of the award winning Desperado Trail Ride Group on the Salt Grass Trail Ride. His accomplishments were many and his compassion for others had no bounds. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Jack is survived by his loving wife, Mary Lou Wilson; four children, Charlene Wilson-Wasaff, Kathlene Wilson, John Wilson, Jennifer Wilson-Pittman and husband Michael; six grandchildren, Jackie Wilson and husband Glen, Jason Wasaff, Dennis Frost, Ryan Wasaff, Clayton Frost, and Brandon Wilson; two great-grandchildren, Joshua Wilson and Jeremy Wilson; his brother, Welcome Wilson, Sr. and his wife Joanne; his sister, Beverly Wilson Smith and her husband Gary; and his brother-in-law, John Nahas. He is also survived by many other family members and close friends. The family wishes to thank Dr. Richard Lock, Dr. Tom Garcia and the entire staff at the West Houston Medical Center. In lieu of flowers and for those that desire, memorial contributions may be given to the San Jacinto Girl Scout Campership Fund sent to: In Memory of Jack Wilson, Campership Fund, 3110 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77098, or the University of Houston Library, attention Molly Block, 114 University Libraries, Houston, Texas 77204-2000. Friends are invited to a visitation with the family beginning at 5:00 p.m., with a tribute to Jack beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 16, 2003 at The Courtyard on St. James located at 1885 St. James Place. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Services Information Visitation June 16, 2003 5:00 p.m. The Courtyard on St. James Place 1885 St. James Place Houston, TX, Funeral / Memorial June 16, 2003 6:30 p.m. The Courtyard at St. James Place 1885 St. James Place Houston, TX, Earthman Funeral Directors & Cemeteries . 2420 Fannin . Houston, Texas . 77002 . (713) 659-3000