Reginald "Rex" Darlington Wilson Jr.

LAKE JUNALUSKA Reginald Darlington Wilson, Jr. was the firstborn child to Martha Ann Riggs Wilson and Reginald Darlington Wilson, Sr., born on September 9, 1949 in Macon, Georgia. Better known as Rex, he was a man who loved his family devotedly. Rex met his beloved wife Paula Brafford Wilson when they starred together in a production of The Apple Tree at Workshop Theatre in Columbia, SC in the summer of 1978. They were married at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church on January 5, 1980. Rex and Paula were blessed with three children: Martha Ann “Ann” Wilson Baggett (Jon) of Columbia, Kelly Wilson Hall (Michael) of Atlanta, and Reginald “Reg” Darlington Wilson, III, (Courtney) of Columbia; four grandchildren, Charlotte “Lottie” Taylor Hall, Alice Weston Hall, William Wilson “Wil” Hall, and Charles “Charlie” Darlington Wilson. Rex is also survived by his sister Martha Ann “Mitten” Wilson Brown and her husband Frank, his sister-in-law Marcia Brafford, two nephews, Frank Reginald “Reggie” Brown, IV and Riggs Wilson Brown, and one niece, Elizabeth Cameron Brafford, and a host of dear cousins, extended family, and friends.

Rex was a jovial person with a warm and welcoming way about him who loved what was good, true, and beautiful in life. He grew up in Chester, SC, where in 1958 when he was eight years old, he fell off his bicycle, fractured his skull and ended up with a steel plate in his head. After surviving an extended ordeal in the hospital, his family knew he was destined to make his mark in the world. Always an athlete, he excelled at baseball and football at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he was proud of his ‘five year boy’ status, graduating in 1968 with a group of friends whom he remained close to throughout his life. In 2017, Rex was inducted into the EHS Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1968 championship baseball team. In 1971, Rex graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in English, where he also played Gamecock Baseball under Coach Bobby Richardson. He received his Master’s degree from Syracuse University in Educational Psychology in 1972.

A man of diverse talents and interests with a love of learning new things, Rex’s professional life included careers in teaching and coaching, prison ministries, construction, sales, and banking. But his proudest accomplishment was serving as a licensed Local Pastor in the South Carolina United Methodist Conference, having served at Whaley Street United Methodist Church, among other local churches. Among the greatest joys of his time in ministry were his studies at Duke and Emory, and visiting with members of his congregation in need of a listening ear, a funny story, or a friendly smile. He also served in the role of President of the South Carolina United Methodist Conference Credit Union, from which he retired in the summer of 2021.

Rex had a heart for service to the community, and he was a member of numerous boards and foundations in the Columbia area, including the American Heart Association, the Federation for the Blind, the Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina Board of Directors, the Center for Cancer Treatment and Research, Trustus Theatre Board, and the South Carolina Methodist Conference Foundation. He was a proud member of Columbia Rotary Club, and he enjoyed delivering the Health and Happiness remarks on numerous occasions. Raised Episcopalian, Rex claimed the United Methodist Church as his own. As an active member of Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, he served in many leadership roles, including Lay Leader among others, and he took great delight in the music ministry of that church, which was directed by his wife, Paula, for many years.

Rex had a zest for life, and his many hobbies included reading and discussing literature with his daughters, controlling the remote while watching Turner Classic Movies, and being a die-hard Gamecock fan, a pastime which he shared with his son, along with golf. He had an undeniable passion for all things theatrical; he appeared on the stage in both leading and supporting roles at Episcopal High School, the University of South Carolina, Workshop Theatre, Town Theatre, Palmetto Center for the Performing Arts, and the South Carolina Shakespeare Company. One of his favorite quotes was, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” He embraced every role to the fullest extent, but his proudest dramatic moment was appearing on the stage with his daughters in a production of Into the Woods at Richland Northeast High School.

More than anything, Rex loved spending time with his family at Lake Junaluska in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and also traveling with them. His wife, children, and grandchildren were his pride and joy, and his most treasured legacy. He had a marvelous presence, with an infectious smile that could brighten up the darkest room, and he was always ready to regale his listeners with a tall tale or two. His faith was strong and abiding, and he freely shared God’s grace and the love of Christ with those he met.

A service of Death and Resurrection will be held at 4:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, September 25 at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, 3401 Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC, 29204. The family will receive guests in the Church Dining Room following the service, and they request that memorials be made to the Music Ministry at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church.