John Craig Wilson Sr, born January 6, 1946, went to have a Heavenly reunion with his parents on December 31, 2020. Leave it to dad to leave a crappy year with a bang. John was born in Quincy, California to Forrest and Berniece Wilson. Born fourth of five children, his brothers and sister moved often as grandpa was a lumber mill foreman with a knack for bringing struggling mills back to life.

In the fall of 1960, the family moved to Hoopa, where he attended and graduated from Hoopa High School in 1964. In April of 1966 dad joined the United States Air Force and was sent to Vietnam. He was honorably discharged and returned to Hoopa in February of 1970 where he met and married Mary Nelson. John attended trade school to learn to repair appliances and worked at Montgomery Wards in Eureka from 1972 until 1999. He and his mom had a couple of kids in 1971 (John Wilson Jr) and 1974 (Jana Wilson-Rainwater).

He spent much of our childhood with my Uncle Frank building and racing dragsters at Samoa Drag strip. He never met a machine he couldn’t fix or a problem that he couldn’t build something to solve. You had a need for something? No worries dad could build it for you. Probably out of a bleach bottle, metal coffee can, and a vacuum cleaner engine. It may not be pretty but it always worked. Tired of crushing cans? No worries John’s got a can crusher that has a rack that will hold a twelve-pack, made out of old washing machine parts. That thing was built over 30 years ago, still works, and is used often.

Home improvements were just reasons to call on my uncles and his lifelong friend Rob Irwin, buy all the beer at the corner store, and get-er-done. Not to say there were no issues. I mean you’re not going to have that much alcohol and my family without someone falling off the roof through a fiberglass awning right?

During our teenage years, dad used to always joke that he would never know who he would find asleep in the living room every morning. Our house was a home for many more than the two kids my parents actually made. Our friends always knew that if they needed a dad that we would share ours. And we did, often. There are many kids in their 40s who call him Dad to this day.

Mom and Dad divorced in 2002 and Dad met and married his wife Patty in 2006. They spent their retirement in the yards gardening, dad tinkering on whatever project he was currently working on and spoiling their dogs more than he ever spoiled us as children. He and mom were friends until the end and he would often drive over to bring her to spend a weekend with him and Patty. Dad was a proud Veteran and proud grandparent.

John is survived by his wife Patrice Wilson, his children John Wilson Jr (Peggy), Jana Rainwater, Billy Rainwater. His stepdaughter Renee McCaghren (Ted). His siblings Clarence Wilson, Dan Wilson, Sandy Trammel, and Chuck Wilson. Grandchildren Courtney Wilson, Jeremey Wilson, Ryleigh Rainwater and Valya Rainwater-Schumacher (Martin), Kenzie and Kole McCaghren. He loved his grandbabies more than anything.

He is also survived by his ex-wife Mary Wilson, and lifelong friends Frank Mott, Rob Irwin, and Bob Nelson.

He was preceded in death by his parents Forrest and Berniece Wilson.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

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