My condolences to the family of this loving man, My name is Ryleigh Russell and I am a big fan of the rocket boys.I have also seen October sky which is one of my favorite movies. It has inspired me to do what I want  with my life and  to not to let any body stop me. I wish I could of met him in real for him to tell me his story even though im only 13 years old .Im so sorry that this happend if you want to get back with my my email is rrbrooke@icloud.com.

Sincerely Ryleigh

I'm sorry to say, I just learned of Quentin's passing. I really didn't know Quentin, I only met him once and corresponded by email a couple of times. Quentin's Father (Eston Wilson, my Mom called him Uncle Hess),  and my maternal Grandfather (Wade Wilson) were Brothers. My Mother did grow up around Quentin and introduced me to him. I sent my copy of the book "Rocket Boys" for him to sign, which he did. As someone who grew up back in the hills of Tennessee, Quentin's story of using education as means of acquiring a better life were inspirational. I would like to extend my condolences to Dr. Keren Brown Wilson (whom I also met), and the rest of the family.

Because of great men like Quentin .. there are wonderful stories and life changing events to tell.
Countless have been inspired around the world, by 6 men, who back in the 1950s followed their hearts and dreams because they wanted more out of life !
Anything is possible in life !
And all the Rocket Boys proved it !
Rip Quentin thankyou for inspiring me !

So sorry to hear about uncle Quentin we will miss him so glad we got to visit while we were over the road and having dinner with you guys If I had known I would have been there again so sorry for your loss 


My condolences and sympathy to his wife, Janice, and family.

I first met Quentin at a Toastmaster Club over 30 years ago.   At the meeting, a few members would be given a surprise topic to talk about for a short period of time, like one minute. Quentin did not have any problem in giving a talk on any unplanned subject because he was so well-read.  He was an avid reader and brilliant in so many ways.

For a lot of people, they thought Quentin was weird.  He was sort like an Elbert Einstein, as being strange.  To me, it seemed that Quentin never tuned into people or sensed how they took what he had said or did.  For some people, Quentin trait of not detecting how people took him did not endear him.  You just had to accept that as being Quentin.   In discussions, Quinten would many times come up with a quote or comment that provide a different perspective or was just plain funny.   

Last few years, Quentin fame was being portrayed in the movie called October Skies.  The film did not do justice to Quentin, as he was better looking than the kid that portrayed him.  He got many requests to give talks about his time in school in West Virginia and building rockets which were the theme of the film.  He seemed to love traveling the country and talking about the experiences of that time. 

Over the years, Quentin and I went a lot of West Texas A&M Football games.   In recent times and since he had difficulty walking, he kept up will  WT sports by using his computer and kept me informed of WT successes.  

We will all miss Quentin!

TROY HARRISON




Quentin, I'm sorry to see you go although you managed to live longer than  you ever expected to. I had the pleasure of working with you  at Coastal in 1980  and our own consulting oil company from 1995 - 2008. You will be missed.

Quentin was not known by me personally. I learned about him from the book "Rocket Boys".  I became a big fan of his from that book. He was an exceptionally smart and "prodigious" type of man and scientist.

Rest is peace, Quentin! You inspired so many people who looked up to you and saw your virtues!

My sympathy to his family members.  Our loss and Heaven has gained a champion!!

So  sad to hear of Mr. Wilson’s passing. I did not know him personally,  but I know that by being one of the Rocket Boys he has inspired so many.  I’m sure he is in quite a prodigious place right now! 

One of the original Big Creek High School Rocket Boys!! A member of our Bartley #3 Coal Camp Community—and schoolmate and friend.  Quentin was a great honor student always and, as always,  a caretaker of his younger siblings and friends.  We loved Quentin!!! RIP BC Owl
❤️🙏🇺🇸✝️🕊⚔️

Never met you. Never even really knew you, but you were an inspiration to my kids and one reason they are successful in life. Your life touched those well beyond your knowledge. 

Im so sad to hear of this. October sky was and has been one of my all time favorite movies. It has inspired many people to pursue dreams,even when everyone around them said it couldn't or should've be done. Fly high rocket boy!

R.I.P Quentin.  I only know you from the book "Rocket Boys" and  the movie "October Sky" but some how I feel I know  a little bit about a part of your life. I also grew up around the same era and it was an amazing time to be young and explore new things and the Space race was on.  I was absorbed by your story and related to you and the rest of the boys.  I hope heaven is a wonderful place to be and explore!

Quentin was one of those scholars who came out of the Southern Caolfields.  He was a reader and a thinker--a prodigious fella--one whose story I will remember.

I learned the sad news from Mr. Hickam's FB page, I didn't know Mr. Wilson as I live in Italy, but I love the story of rocket boys so much that he seems to have known him forever. What they did was incredible and in all this comes Quentin, the most gifted of all. Now he is in heaven higher than any rocket can ever go, rest in peace.
I hope my words are clear, I don't speak English very well, I offer my sincere condolences to the family.
Tamantini Mauro.

My favorite of the Rocket Boys (no offense Homer), he was such an intelligent man and kind soul. He will be missed by thousands that may never have even meet him physically but by those who read about him. In the case, its like we all met the Rocket Boys.

My condolences to Quentin's family.  All of the "Rocket Boys" have been as inspiration to so many, not the least of whom was Quentin. Rest in peace.

The "Rocket Boys" came out when my intelligent but different sons  were in high school.  I had told them it was okay to be different and not fit in the others in our little WV town but after reading the book, they were able to embrace what is actually a gift.  Thank you for being an inspiration to children you never met.  One is a mechanical-aerospace engineer (named Quentin), one a pathologist and the other an agricultural extension educator.  Thank you for showing that great things can come out of depressed areas.

Thank you for always being a source of inspiration to my students.  You will never know how many people you touched.  My students went forth with humor and problem solving skills.

I grew up with Quentin at Bartley, W. Va.  He was two years ahead of me in school.  We rode the same bus each day to school.  I always liked Quentin.  He seemed to be quite and shy.  We have lost another beloved Big Creek Owl.

My deepest sympathies to his family.  May God give them peace and comfort as only he can.

I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Wilson at the 2004 October Sky Festival in Coalwood. He and his work continue to inspire me in a number of endeavors.

My condolences to his friends and family. He will be missed by so many.

My county in VA borders McDowell County, WV.  I loved the movie "October Sky".  Such a success story for the Rocket Boys! Love the Rocket Boys!

I had the pleasure of meeting Quentin several times. He spoke to the kids and teachers at our West Texas rocketry camps. His words of perseverance in the face of failure and the rewards of hard work helped launched several of those kids into engineering. He always signed their rockets and told them to ‘Aim High.’ Quentin and the rocket boys will inspire many generations of kids to come to ‘Aim High’,  preserver and fly straight. 

In 2004, I was introduced to Mr. Wilson, well, Quentin, when I was selected as a state representative from South Carolina to serve as a member of the inaugural class of Honeywell Educators at Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. We watched, read excerpts from and centered some of our instruction around "Rocket Boys"and this film, "October Sky." I immediately identified with Quentin and his quirky, brilliance, and awkward social skills. 

During my week there, my whole frame of teaching was transformed and my passion for infusing this transformational experience in my teaching was ignited. I returned to Dutch Fork Middle School in Irmo, SC and made "Rocket Boys" come to life in my classroom, with a book talk, Bottle rocket launches, an astronomy night with Roy Lee in attendance, and trips to Space Camp! When I surveyed my students at the end of the year to get their reflections on what they learned, several of them responded with one word--"Prodigious!" The inner Quentin in me smiled.

Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for living a life, forging a friendship, and displaying a zeal for learning that inspired a story that has transformed so many! May your spirit soar onward in the "October Sky" and beyond.

I was in Chemistry classes at Marshall University with Quentin. He was indeed a different breed and a very smart guy. I met him later at a Rocket Boys book signing. He was the same old Quentin.  It's difficult to imagine him gone. May you have those brilliant "October Skies" forever, Quentin and my deepest condolences go out to the family.


I never meant Quentin, but I, like so many others felt like I knew him because of Homer Hickam.  The word prodigious will forever be part of my vocabulary.  So proud of a West Virginia boy showing the world what a great place he came from.  God bless the family of Quentin.  

I am a retired Middle School science teacher.  As soon as October Sky came out on VHS, I began showing it with the Unit I taught on force/motion, flight, etc.  Quentin and the boys were an inspiration to follow your dreams and to think!  I also got to meet Quentin here at Amarillo College.  Wonderful colorful character!  Condolences for his family.

I never met Quentin, but I feel that I knew him from reading “Rocket Boys”, and the film “October Sky”. He was an amazing man, and he will be missed by all that did know him

I may not have personally known Quentin but learned about him from Rocket Boys. Condolences for his family and friends. 

I went to Big Creek High School with Quentin.  I remember him carrying that briefcase at school and everyone said he was really smart.   He did good!!

Praying for your family.  I am  from WV and a fan of the Rocket Boys.. I have met them several times. I am so sorry for your loss. 
Virginia Williams 

Quentin was one of the six Rocket Boys I described in my memoir "Rocket Boys" that was adapted into the movie "October Sky." He was also featured in the sequel memoir "The Coalwood Way." I met him in the 10th grade at Big Creek High School and wasn't sure about him at first as he carried around this old briefcase filled to the brim with books & other stuff, & his vocabulary was, well, prodigious, a word he liked to use and I had never heard until I met him. He was the smartest of the Rocket Boys and, without him, the Big Creek Missile Agency  would have not formed. My mother dearly loved him and I think he put up with us for her. We did not correspond or talk much over the years but he was always on my mind. I am who I am because of him. I will miss knowing he is around doing things only Quentin would do and doing them his way. I will not be able to attend his service - I'm dealing with a destroyed home in the Virgin Islands - but I will definitely be there in my heart. My condolences to Janice and all in his family.

Quentin and I shared many a beer and hoisted our share of rockets
into the blue together. Quentin, the constant engineer, was always
designing better motors to power our creations. He always was welcome at my home, and always had something thought provoking for me to chew on. I shall miss him.
Blue skies my friend.

I attended Big Creek High School with Quentin where he and five other of us became known as the Rocket Boys. 
He was a delight to all of us and was certainly the smartest of all.
His character was one of the stars of the movie October Skys. He will be remembered by millions of viewers of that movie and readers of the book Rocket Boys that sparked the movie.

Celebration of Life

Janice Knighton Birkholz

Laura Wilson

Jocelyn "Jocie" Buchanan

Kent Buchanan

Heather Wilson

Dr. Keren Brown Wilson

Lance Corp. Emilio Buchanan USMC

Justin Buchanan

Quentin was preceded in death by his parents Eston Willson and Jessie F. Richardson Wilson; brother Richard Wilson and sisters Eula Vee Wallace, Dona Sanders and Bonnie Huckaby.

OBITUARY

Quentin Taylor Wilson

November 21, 1942 – August 30, 2019

Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors

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