Thomas Wilson

Thomas was born in Hood River, Oregon and resided in Parkdale, Oregon (on the North slope of Mt. Hood) until he was 52 years old when he moved to Milton, Florida to provide support and watch-care for his wife, Liz's, parents – Joseph & Ardelia Lea. Tom graduated from Wy'East High School and attended University of Oregon. While living in Oregon, he worked as a timber faller, furniture manufacturer and licensed general contractor and in remodeling and residential restoration in Florida. Tom was an avid railroad enthusiast who traveled to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and many U.S. states to ride and enjoy steam train travel. His special love was for the Union Pacific Railroad and the 844 locomotive. And he was a life-long fan for the University of Oregon “Ducks” Football team. Tom's unique gifts included a “green thumb” (everything he ever planted flourished), model-building (he was working on a 60” long scale model – of the Battleship “Yamato” at the time of his death), and he had just started to hone his skills on the fine art of chip-carving – completing several Christmas ornaments for members of his family. Tom had a passion for fine sports cars, Harley Davidson motorcycles, battleships, history and opera. For three years Tom served as a volunteer leader for First Baptist Church Bagdad's after-school “Good News Club”. He has been active in Bagdad United Methodist Church – a member of the choir, a greeter, reader and co-taught the Men's Sunday School Class. He is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years, Elizabeth Lea Wilson, his daughter, Azur Dee Scott (husband, Garcia Scott) and grandson, Dietrich Wilson Scott, step-son Jesse Neil Freeman (Wife, Mariam Freeman) and grandsons, Issac Alexander and Jacob Zachariah, foster-daughter, Melissa Vadnais and her daughter, Randi Lynne and son, Christian Alexander, two sisters, Marjorie Routson and Virginia Sheppard (Husband, William O.), Sister-in-law, Lennie Lea Wells (Husband, Henry M. Wells, III) and Brother-in-Law, Randall David Lea (Wife, Julie Lea) along with many nieces and nephews.