Stephen Edward Wilson

Stephen Edward Wilson died peacefully on Thursday, June 22nd, at home in Durham after a battle with cancer; his wife and daughter were by his side. He is survived by wife Anna Ludwig Wilson; brother David Wilson of Reno, Nevada; brother Bob Wilson of Bella Vista, Arkansas; daughter Lisa Harrison of Durham and her husband Bo; son Davey Wilson of Greensboro; and grandchildren Clara, Ben, and Ikey Harrison of Durham. Steve was preceded in death by his parents Ed & Frances Wilson, his brother Nathan Wilson, and his grandson Nate Harrison.

Steve was born in El Paso, Texas in February 1942. As a military family, they lived on various bases in the US, spending his high school years in Miami, Oklahoma. His father’s military service included 2 years in Japan, which kindled a deep, lifelong appreciation of other cultures.

In Miami, Steve joined the Methodist Student Group which successfully worked with the NAACP to integrate eating establishments in Oklahoma City (his children proudly brag that he was arrested during sit-ins at this time). He later moved to NYC where he worked at the Fellowship of Reconciliation to continue efforts towards justice for all people.

At Berea College in Kentucky, Steve met and fell in love with fellow student Anna Ludwig, his future wife, and they both continued working for the common good. They consistently sought to help the underserved throughout their adult lives, and have instilled those values in their children and grandchildren.

As a young husband with daughter Lisa on the way, Steve surprised his wife and friends by answering a call to serve his country during the conflict in Vietnam, helping to pilot a gunboat on the Mekong River with the U.S. Coast Guard. He, and we, took great pride in his combat years and the spirit in which he approached them – for him, the dignity and humanity of the Vietnamese people was of primary importance. Steve developed an abiding reverence for the people of Vietnam and wanted to go there again someday. In the year 2000, Steve & Anna moved to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to spend a year teaching English and making lasting friendships.

After returning from the war, Steve moved with his young family to Durham to pursue a graduate degree in Forestry at Duke. While in school, he also began work as a surveyor’s apprentice. After earning a Master of Forestry, Steve founded Freehold Land Surveys of Carrboro, a successful business that continues to contribute to the local real estate community to this day. Colleagues knew him to be a man of integrity and courage, a man of his word. Steve took great pride in making payroll no matter what it took to do so (including not taking a salary for himself on many occasions), and in treating his employees as family (new employees were shocked when they received their first Christmas bonus: an entire month’s pay, and Steve loved surprising them this way). All this while covering 100% of health plans for employees and their families.

After retiring from Freehold almost a quarter century ago, Steve became a teacher of ESL classes at Durham Tech. As in Vietnam, he was loved for his attention to teaching, his connection with his students, and his appreciation for them and their journeys. Steve admired people from other cultures, and greatly valued their contribution to our local community.

Steve continued to spend quality time with family & friends including a group of local readers & writers. He also loved to take long walks in the woods with his dog! Before his illness, Steve enjoyed an occasional glass of whiskey, played the banjo, and loved to sing anything – folk songs, hymns, songs of protest. He did not mind fools and he loved foolery; but would not abide arrogance, lies or hypocrisy. Steve delighted in spending time with his family and dear friends, so long as they did not chew ice within earshot or have interrupting contests.

After years of “trying on” several different churches, Steve felt a call to join the Roman Catholic church. Since then, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham has been his spiritual home. Steve quickly became a beloved member of that community, serving as a lay reader, and providing communion to patients at Duke Hospital. He will be sorely missed.

A visitation for Steve will be held at Hall-Wynne Funeral Service in Durham at 6 pm to 8 pm on Friday, June 30th. A celebration of his life will take place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 1 pm Saturday, July 1st, to be followed by a reception at Mavericks, 900 West Main Street, Durham 27701. Burial will take at Bluestem Conservation Cemetery in Orange County at a later date.

 In lieu of flowers, the family suggests considering a donation to the Berea Fund at Berea College:

https://berea.salsalabs.org/give/index.html?sl_tc=WEBGNDONMAIN