Glenn Alvin Wilson, Jr.

Glenn Alvin “Buddy” Wilson, Jr., formerly of Vidor, passed away on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at Skilled Care Nursing Home in Mexia, at age 85.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 3, 2022, at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Vidor.

Buddy was born May 21, 1937 in Beaumont to Glenn Alvin Wilson, Sr. and Henrietta (Fruge) Wilson.   He graduated from South Park High School in Beaumont, Class of 1958.    Buddy grew up spending summers with George Brown, his best friend since kindergarten, at Port Bolivar.  While they were teenagers, they spent every summer at the family cabin on the Bolivar Peninsula and fished.  They caught speckled trout, flounder, and crabs, which they sold to the local supermarkets.   Their parents only had to come down once a month to restock any money they needed.

Buddy served in both the U.S. Army and the Coastguard. 

When Buddy was honorably discharged, he went to work as an electrician at DuPont in Beaumont, and bought a boat, “Miss Pearl.”  He went to the local Pearl Beer distributor to get a larger sticker for the boat, and then he was able to fish for red snappers.   After his son Devin was old enough, he took him out in the boat every summer from the last week of June through the first week of July, and they had great adventures fishing for red snapper, and throwing a few back to the dolphins that followed their boat and blew  circles of bubbles to communicate with the humans.   The red snapper catch was a popular fish which they sold to local seafood restaurants.

Buddy moved to Vidor after he met Molly Elliott, and they were married on August 8, 1989.    They loved to travel together after he retired.   They visited in many states across the country in their motor home, and would upgrade to a new motor home when they found one they liked better, and came back to Palacious for the winter.   Buddy was a talented man who liked to tinker, and he designed and welded a unique mower to pull behind his tractor for mowing his 7 acres around his home. 

Buddy was lost in grief when his beloved wife Molly passed away.  After his health declined, he moved near his son Devin at Thornton, and has resided in Skilled Care in Mexia the last two years.   The staff were able to keep him involved in daily activities which brought enjoyment to his life during these last months.

Buddy was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Helen when she was 12, and his brother, Jimmy Wilson; and the love of his life, Molly Wilson.

He is survived by his son, Devin Glenn Wilson of Thornton and Devin’s girlfriend, Gingee Stewart; nephews, Lane Wilson and Troy Wilson; and his best friend, George Brown.