DeVon A. Wilson, 96, of North Manchester, Indiana passed away on Sunday, February 16, 2020 at Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester. He was born March 9, 1923 in Wabash, Indiana to Allen and Charlotte (Custer) Wilson. DeVon and his future wife, Marcella, were baptized on the same day, April 16, 1935, although they didn’t realize it at the time. They discovered it when their granddaughter was baptized on the same date 60 years later.
DeVon graduated from Chippewa High School in 1941 and Indiana Technical College in 1943 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. He served two and a half years in the U.S. Army Air Corp (as a radio/gunner) during W. W. II. On June 12, 1945, he married his childhood sweetheart, Marcella Jean Haupert, and in 2019, they celebrated their 74th anniversary before she passed away.
DeVon is survived by two children, Brent (Eleanore) Wilson of McCordsville, Indiana, and Dr. Rebecca Wilson of Mishawaka, Indiana, and his son-in-law, Ralph Frank of Wabash, Indiana. He loved his six grandchildren: Peter Frank of Wilmington, N. Carolina, Jason (Karen) Frank of Sevierville, Tennessee, Dr. Chad (Molly) Wilson of Noblesville, Indiana, Kara (Dan) Shipman of Carmel, Indiana, Abbi (Steve) Yap of Fairfield, Connecticut, and Amanda Wilson of Lexington, Kentucky, and his seven great-grandchildren: Maya Wilson, Isabel Shipman, Mason Shipman, Calvin Frank, Levi Frank, Logan Yap and Devon Yap. DeVon was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Eileen Deal, two brothers Dale and Dean Wilson, his wife, Marcella, and his daughter, Cheri Frank.
DeVon worked as a rubber chemist at General Tire and Rubber Company in Wabash for 40 years, where, in the 1960’s he produced a rubber compound that was used on a NASA rocket. After he retired, he twice served as a rubber consultant in South Korea. He also owned Wabash Interiors (carpet store) for ten years.
DeVon was a faithful and life-long member of Bachelor Creek Church of Christ in Wabash, Indiana, where he served in various capacities-as a Deacon, Elder, youth group leader, financial secretary, Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, and choir member. DeVon was a first degree Mason.
He was a dedicated life-long blood donor, who donated 32 gallons (256 pints) of blood during his life-time (until the age of 92). He played on the basketball team at Chippewa High School. At various times, he was active in Toastmasters, a local softball team, and in a barber shop quartet. He also loved bowling and church volleyball, and he golfed until he was 95. In his later years, he gardened and loved to share his cucumbers with everyone. He traveled to the Bahamas, Caymans, Mexico, Jamaica, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 24, 2020 at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Services, 1241 Manchester Ave., Wabash, Indiana, with Solomon David officiating. Burial will be at the Memorial Lawns Cemetery in Wabash. Friends may call from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Bachelor Creek Church of Christ, the Red Cross, or the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
The memorial guestbook for DeVon may be signed on-line at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.