My Father. My Knight in Shining Armor

My father was many things, but mainly he was a decent man. He was gentle, patient, thoughtful, generous, committed to family. He was my mother's faithful life partner of 65 years.

When I was growing up I imagined I was my father's favorite. I was daddy's little girl. Indeed, we shared a special connection and I can only try to be as good a person as he was.

My dad influenced me in many ways, and anyone who knows me can point to the things I'm most passionate about and there you'll see my father. He was inspired by animals, nature and people. He saw what was best in them and brought that to life.

I am thankful that my son had a chance to know him and to learn from him while growing up, because my dad was a great role model. I believe he influenced all of his family in the most positive ways.

It's difficult to know that I won't be able to talk to him anymore, but I only need to look around me to see the parts of my world that reflect his soul, and in that way he will live forever.

May the road rise up to meet you Dad, My Knight in Shining Armor. Love you always.



Jim was the childhood sweetheart of my wee sister Marie. He was a gentle man and was never one to be angry of give offence. Apart from Marie and his family, art was his life, pity his mother in law used his paintings to mend the gaps in her hedge!

Jim and Marie went out of their way to host family holidays to Arizona, my self included. I will never forget the wonderfull road trip Jim and Marie laid on for me when I visited many years ago.

Jim will be sorely missed by me and anyone who had the privilege to know him. God bless you Jim. 

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of your dear husband Jim. May the Lord bless you and draw near you offering you the peace that passes all understanding. 

As his next door neighbor for the last 19 years, when I heard James in the back yard, I would stick my head over the fence and talk to him.  I enjoyed our little chats and will always remember James for that.

James was a very patient and kind neighbor.  

He was always willing to help me when I needed my old car jumped.  At the time, I was a new mother with two small children - one and two years old.  We needed a few items at the store, and if he was not willing to help us, we would be stranded at the house for the whole day until my husband came home from work very late that night.  He was always very gracious to help us, even when he may not have wanted to.  He never let me know it if he really didn't want to.  

I was very appreciative of his help, and I wish I could thank him again today!

With much love to Marie and the family, I just wanted to say that I have very fond memories of visiting Jim and Marie about a decade ago- as a young man with bright red hair, fresh from art school.

 It was an honour to have met Jim and I will always have wonderful memories of him showing me around his studio and teaching me to fly fish.

Jim loved to fly fish and he invested the time and energy in teaching me as well. He also set me up with all the gear and materials I would ever need to tie flies too.



I remember one particular fly fishing trip we took. Jim had been taking me out to the Salt River north of Mesa to teach me how to cast, but eventually the day came where we decided to venture out to some place new. We got out our maps and decided that we never really heard much about fishing on the lower Gila River below San Carlos Lake. So Jim did some research, tied some new flies for the area, and we got up early one morning and headed out to the lower Gila. 



We drove out to the town of Superior, headed south from there for another 50 miles until we reached a little dirt road that took us alongside the Gila river. As the road climbed up to the dam at San Carlos Lake, I remember the sides of the canyon started to narrow and eventually turn into limestone cliffs. It was just a picture perfect canyon and our anticipation of the fishing about to take place that day was starting to build!



We found a little turn-off next to the road and parked. As we made our way down to the river's edge, we saw some big sycamore trees hanging over the river. It just happened to be that time of the year where the leaves on the sycamores were starting to turn yellow and still others were turning brown and starting to fall. All around, the other trees and bushes were starting to show their autumn colors. It was a nice sunny day, yet not too warm. Some parts of the river had small natural rock piles that caused the water to move faster, and still other parts were long open stretches. It was the type of scene you see in fly fishing magazines. 



Standing at the river's edge, Jim and I decided on which flies we would start out with, and Jim headed up the river a ways and I headed down the river a ways. We must have fished for at least a couple of hours before we got back together. Well, as it turned out, neither of us had gotten any nibbles. We found out later that they had stopped stocking the river with trout the year before. But the thing I remember the most from that day was, from time to time, while I was down river, I would stop and look back at Jim, fishing under a huge sycamore tree, standing in the reflection of the still waters, surrounded by all the colors of Autumn, casting his line towards the little rock pilings, just below the fast moving water, all in utter silence....and well, he may not have caught any trout that day, but I'm sure inside himself he must have felt like he did!



Anyway, I tell this story because Jim was also an artist and a few years later I received a beautiful gift from him, in the form of a painting. A beautiful watercolor he had painted of the lower Gila River. It hangs in my living room and every time I look at it, I am reminded of that day and I am reminded of Jim immersed in his element, fishing under that sycamore tree. Thank you Jim for this beautiful memory. You will be missed. You will be remembered.

Jim was a very talented man and will be sadly missed.   Sincere condolences to all his family

With love to you, Great Aunt Marie and all your family.

Thinking of you all. We are all very sad to hear of the loss of Great Uncle Jim. 

Always in great admiration of his beautiful paintings and lovely stories.
Love from, Clare, Patrice, William, Thomas, Louis and Henry Coton

So sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this sad time. Keep fond memories close to help in your grieving and healing.

I will always remember the wonderful welcome Marion and Jim gave me in 1970 when I arrived in the USA. We had lots of fun together and I remember in particular Jim's very informative tour of Philadelphia's Art Museum. 

Although it is a long time ago I met Jim. his Brother Billy and sister-in-law Lily always kept me up to date with news of him.

  Marion may remember my parents (the late Stanley and Ellie Bridle) from Belfast.

  I send my deepest condolences to Marion.   65 years is a long time of caring for someone.  May I wish her strength to overcome her lonliness and trust all goes well at the committment to-morrow.

  God Bless. 

When Irish eyes are smiling
Sure it's like a morn in spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay,
And when Irish eyes are smiling
Sure they steal your heart away.

Dear Mrs. Wilson we were so sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Wilson it was my pleasure to have shared in his warm and glowing brightness of his friendship he shared with my parents Jack and Isabelle McKee.

Mr. Wilson had a boundless enthusiasm for the paintbrush and we so enjoyed his artwork.I remember as small girl the sincerity in my parents voice when they spoke so highly of the friendship they had formed with you and Mr.Wilson during sponsoring you when you first came to America and for the so many years that followed.  

May God be with you and your family during this most difficult time.

Sincerely, Regina McKee Heflin

So sorry to hear about the loss of Jim, we know how much our parents cherished your friendship over the years. 

We have fond memories visiting you in Arizona. Marion and family, you will be in our thoughts and prayers.

We have happy memories of Jim at family gatherings in Henley-on-Thames and Maidenhead. We will always remember our visit to Phoenix when Jim took John fishing.

I loved the 'guided tour' of Jim's wonderful studio and remain awestruck by his amazing talent. Imagine the thrill of receiving my portrait painted by Jim. We feel privileged to own it and to have known such a lovely, gentle man.

Jim's studio always fascinated me. From his little art space in Pennsylvania- to his sprawling digs in Arizona… I loved visits there. 

Being immersed in the aroma of turpentine or linseed oil , and surrounded by works in various stages of completion was always an adventure. 

I can't think of any backdrop more perfect than the studio to learn about Jim's art. Sometimes Jim was excited about a painting; other times he mused about how to solve a technical or composition challenge. The best times were hearing the stories behind the paintings… about the places, critters, and people Jim encountered during his lifetime of painting expeditions.

As I walk back through my memories of time fondly spent with Jim in his studio, I imagine his art tools as comrades of the artist. Each tool illuminates a quality of this most unique and special man … a master at his craft.

The Easel-
patient friend
of its master…
the Artist.
Held steadfast 91 years
without criticism
as oil, watercolor
flowed from the man's
heart and soul
to canvas.

The Brushes-
faithful colleagues
of their master…
the Artist.
Expressed points of view
as the man
experienced the world
through honest, 
humble eyes.

The Palette-
personal chemist
of its master…
the Artist.
Empowered the man
with mixtures of emotion and truth;
fulcrum between
his mind's-eye
and viewers' consciousness.

 The Paintings- 
 obedient sentinels
 of their master… 
the Artist.
Preserve his memories
 with reverence 
as they hang timeless
 in galleries,
 on walls. 

The Artist 
Maker of inspiration
forever carried forth
in the hearts
of all
who love him.

Jim, now that your studio has expanded to places beyond my imagination, I will watch for the brilliant skies you will paint on your new canvas- the heavens above.

May God bless you in this time of sorrow.

I was delighted when my dear mtDNA match and penfriend, Margaret Windy, Jim's niece, suggested that Jim be included in a family painting I was working on for her.  I liked a photo of Jim walking along, and I decided that he should be carrying one of his paintings.  I sorted through images of his paintings online and  I chose a landscape; there was just enough room for a hint of it on the painting he was carrying.  Few people will notice it, but it gave me great satisfaction at the time.

Now his portrait has become my tribute to a fellow artist whom I greatly admired, though never met.

Remembering Uncle Jim, a kind and thoughtful man who made my most memorable visit to the USA a life changing experience which encouraged me to be part of North American life.

 Through his art he provided happiness and through his family he raised good people. He will remain in our prayers as will his loving family, Marie, Jamie and Ed.

My thoughts about my Gpop...

He had the most gentle soul, he was honest, humble, and kind...  he loved animals… and they loved him!  He never complained.  He loved Gmom.  He was proud of his family and grateful for all that he had.

I cherish the memories I have of our time together and the stories he told me of the old country and his younger years as an artist.  It breaks my heart that our new sweet baby Sylvie will never meet her great grandfather … but we will share all of the beautiful paintings and wonderful memories that he left us for a lifetime.

I will always be a proud granddaughter and forever grateful for all that Gpop gave me.

Thinking of Uncle Jim, who achieved so much in his long career.   I will always remember him as calm, reliable, thoughtful and generous and I never saw him utter a cross word.

He lives on in his beautiful work. Rest in peace dear, talented Uncle Jim. 

 Our thoughts are with all his family.

So sorry to hear the sad news of Jim's death.  We will remember him through the painting he was so kind to give us.  Our thoughts are with Marion and her family.

So sorry to hear of Jimmy's death. I still treasure the paintings Marie and he gave us for a wedding gift in 1970. Love to all the family we will be thinking of you all next Saturday.

My memories of my Uncle Jim are of a family man blessed with an extraordinary talent to paint.  He was quiet,modest,down to earth and proud of his Irish roots.  A lover of Mother Nature and a successful artist he was at his happiest either sketching or painting, whatever took his fancy.

My fondest memory of Uncle Jim was as a boy going on a fishing/sketching trip with him around Northern Ireland and us having to leave the tiny Mini car in which we were sleeping in the wee small hours to light a fire in a derelict barn as we were both frozen to the bone --GOOD TIMES!

Uncle Jim was a man who will be sadly missed by his family, his peers and all who knew him.

Deepest sympathy from Billy, Sandra and family.

Uncle Jimmy, as I always called him, was a rather distant, but muched loved , member of our family. As he lived in America and we were in Ireland, we only met infrequently. 

 My best memories of him derive from a visit my husband, Mike, and I paid to Marion and James some years ago. He was a kind and generous host. We stayed in his lovely art studio. I think I was always in awe of his artistic abilities. We visited the Phoenix art galleries with Uncle Jim. There he was totally animated and enthused with great knowledge about the various artists and their work. 

James was always a quiet family man, proud of the achievements of his family and I, his niece will always be proud to have known him. 

OBITUARY

James Edmund Wilson

October 5, 1923 – October 22, 2014

Mariposa Gardens Memorial Park & Funeral Care

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