Jon Harlan Wilson was born on July 2, 1935, in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and went to his eternal home on his 85th birthday, July 2, 2020. Jon’s parents were Vivan Lynn Wilson and Winona Burch Wilson. Jon spent his early years in Healdton, Oklahoma, where his dad taught school and coached. He had two brothers, Donald Ray and Vivan Lynn “Chig” Wilson, Jr. In 1942, the family moved to Seminole, where his father went to work for Mobil Oil Co. Jon started school in Seminole and graduated from Seminole High School. In school, Jon played the trumpet and was also an exceptional athlete. He competed for the Seminole Indians in track, basketball, and football. He was captain of the football and basketball teams and, while serving as quarterback, he lead the Indians to Texas All-District. He was also very active in Boy Scouts. The years in Seminole were cherished and Jon returned to attend many high school reunions. Due to a severe back injury, Jon wasn’t able to accept a football scholarship to the University of Denver. Instead, he played basketball for Odessa College, where he met and married “the prettiest girl in Texas,” Marilyn Jane Smith in 1954. The young couple moved to Lubbock where Jon attended Texas Tech University. In 1955, their first child Tracey was bom. After graduating from Tech and finishing a graduate program, Jon accepted a position as City Manager of Brinkley, Arkansas. During his years there, he was voted “Man of the Year.” In 1961, his second daughter, Christy, was bom in Brinkley.
