Calvin G. Wilson

“A life well lived”

Calvin Gary Wilson was born on February 28, 1956, to Ida Mae (Simpson) Johnson and Howard Walter Wilson of Detroit, Michigan. His maternal grandmother, Moaner Simpson, was a loving presence and devoted caregiver to him, raising him to have a strong work ethic, to be kind and compassionate, and to never give up. As a child, he was a gifted athlete and spent time at the Considine Recreation Center. He wore #6 football jersey and his teammates jokingly called him “Sonny Six Killer” because of his athletic abilities.

He was raised in a vibrant extended family during the height of the Motown Era and attended school with several talented musicians who went on to international fame. Many of these young stars attended Detroit’s legendary Northern High School where Calvin graduated in 1975. The summer after graduating, Calvin moved to Houston to attend the HBCU, Texas Southern University, where he played on the football team (1975-1977).

Always a student of the Word, Calvin attended the historic St. Matthew’s and St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church. As a teenager, he joined the Detroit Afro American Mission Church led by Haman Cross, Sr., and gave his life to Christ at age 15. During a weekend Christian fellowship in 1983, he met the love of his life. On October 25, 1986, Calvin married Eleanor Fleetwood of Hamilton, Ohio, and merged lives with her large extended family. They built a beautiful life together settling in Houston, where Calvin joined the Harris County Sheriff Department as an officer on August 5, 1985. Throughout his career, Calvin seized every opportunity to speak life and purpose into everyone he encountered, especially those struggling to make productive life choices. He was a well-loved coworker and friend to those who served alongside him and cared for his family with focus and intent. His brother-in-law, Sheldon Clark, states, “He was a provider. If you look in the dictionary for the word provider, you would see Calvin.” He retired on December 31, 2016, as a Sargent.

For 29 years (since January 1995), the Wilson family have been members of Living Word Fellowship. During this time, Calvin served as a deacon and in the evangelism, power walk, and counseling ministries. As a devoted Christian, Calvin enjoyed serving behind the scenes. An avid reader, he was a lifelong student of Christian theology and learning. He was also a passionate sports fan and had a beautiful tenor voice. “Calvin’s love for ministry started with his family,” shared Yvonne Clark, his sister-in-law. “He was instrumental in changing the trajectory of my life, by sharing the truth of God’s word with me as a teenager, young adult, wife, mother and grandmother,”

His parents and older sister Glenda Moore precede him in death. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 37 years, Eleanor Fleetwood Wilson; his sons: Craig Steven Wilson and Jarrid Corbin Wilson; his daughters: Nicole Rachelle Fleetwood, Racquel (Garza) Wilson, and Ashley (Johnson) Wilson; his six grandchildren: Kai Aubrey Fleetwood Greene, Craig (CJ) Wilson, Jr., Ryleigh Marie Wilson, Caleb Sean Wilson, Carter Syre Wilson, and Charlotte Olivia Wilson; his sisters: Sherri Wilson-Rhetta and Leslie Baugh; his nieces: LaKisha Moore, Dalivia (son Malachi) Moore, Kayla (son Santana) Jackson, and Ariel Baugh; his nephew: J’Von Baugh; and a host of relatives, cousins, and friends..

A living word fellowship for Calvin will be held Saturday, November 4, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at External Service Location, 7350 W T C Jester Blvd, Houston, TX 77088, followed by a living word fellowship from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.paradisefuneralhomehouston.com for the Wilson family.