John Frederic Wilson, 70, of St. Meinrad, died peacefully on June 17, 2020.
John was born on November 28, 1949, in Evansville, to Durward (Bud) Wilson and Henrietta Magdelena Olivia Coudret Wilson Klenck.
John was preceded in death by his grandparents, both of his parents, his stepfather, William Klenck, many aunts and uncles, and his beloved cousin, Gwyn Coudret Allender.
He is survived by his wife Sandra Eileen (Bruce) Wilson of St. Meinrad; children Joshua Curry (Amy) Wilson, of Santa Claus, Carrie Day (Pip Pullen) Wilson, and Emily Elizabeth (Jose Guadarrama) Wilson, all of Louisville, Kentucky ; grandchildren, Olivia Scott Doyon, Abigail Hays Wilson and Elijah Curry Wilson, Sofia Eileen Guadarrama and Benjamin Emilio Guadarrama; brothers Daniel (Barbara) Wilson of Santa Claus, Thomas (Emily) Wilson of Huntington, West Virginia and Robert Wilson of Evansville; stepsisters Carolyn (Bill) Siebold, Maryann Ubelhor and Martha (Dick) Schuler all of Evansville. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, as well as countless friends whom he adored.
John was a 1967 graduate of Rex Mundi High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business (1971) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (1973) from the University of Evansville.
In 1978, John and Sandy relocated with their children to the St. Meinrad area, which he lovingly referred to as “God’s Country,” where he took a position in the business office of St. Meinrad Archabbey and School of Theology. In 1989, John transitioned to the role of Treasurer/Business Manager, which he held until 2009. After leaving the business office, John was hired as General Manager of the Abbey Press, where he created Snail’s Pace, a nature-themed line of eco-friendly correspondence products. From there, he worked between the Archabbey and Abbey Press until his retirement in 2012.
An avid reader and researcher; John was never only slightly interested in anything. There was nearly nothing he couldn’t do; from gardening to dancing to building to baking to hunting to brewing, John was the quintessential renaissance man. His projects often included the land, as he was a dedicated steward of the earth. He loved spending quiet hours in the woods of Perry County on chilly fall mornings waiting for a “massive buck” to walk by. John was passionate about music and almost always included it in his free-time activities; a passion he handed down to his three children. His beloved Minnesota Vikings were a constant source of pleasure and pain, hanging his every hope on each play season after season.
John was never short on ideas or plans. After several years of research, prayer, and conversations, John flew to France in April 2015 and completed the pilgrimage of El Camino de Santiago. He walked 500 miles through northern Spain, from the Basque Country to Santiago de Compostela, along the coast of the Cantabrian Sea, in only 26 days. The church played a central role throughout John’s life; he was a member of Saint Meinrad Parish, a Benedictine Oblate of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and a member of the Saint Hildegard Society of the Sisters of Saint Benedict.
The family would like to thank Dr. Anthony Stephens and staff at Oncology Hematology Associates of Southwest Indiana; Sara Vaal and the rest of John’s caretakers at Heart to Heart Hospice; Chemo Buddies; and the many family members and friends who prayed for and supported John and his family during his illness.
A private funeral mass for immediate family was held Monday, June 22.
Memorial contributions can be made to Saint Meinrad Archabbey, 200 Hill Drive, Saint Meinrad, IN 47577; Heart to Heart Hospice at www.htohhfoundation.org; or Chemo Buddies at www.chemobuddies.org. Condolences can be sent to the family online at www.ziemerfuneralhome.com.
