Robert (Bob) James Wilson was born on 25 September 1910 in Flagler, Kit Carson, Colorado.
2 He was born on 25 September 1910 in Gaylord, Smith, Kansas.
3,4 He and
Zella Gertrude Nonamaker were married on 1 September 1936 in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas.
3 He and
Emma Dena (Deana) Allen were married on 14 February 1981.
2 He died on 17 January 2006, at age 95, in Smith Center, Smith, Kansas.
4,2 He was buried in Cedar Cemetery (Sectiom 1, Lot 89), Cedar, Smith, Kansas.
2 He was buried in Cedar Cemetery, Cedar, Smith, Kansas.
2 Robert (Bob) James Wilson was also known as Robert James Wilson.
3 Robert James Wilson was born Sept, 25, 1910, on his parents' homestead in Flagler, Colo. He was a middle child, the seventh of 13 children of Franklin Mossifer Wilson and Iva Mae Wilson.
When he was small, his parents moved their family to Mankato in two wagons and one large tent, and then moved on to Glen Elder, Downs, and finally Cedar, where Bob finished school. By the time he was 16 he was out on his own, shucking corn and doing other farm work for several people.
In March of 1935 he moved to a farm six miles southwest of Gaylord.
He always said he "batched" out there for a little over a year. Eating only eggs and cereal, he told people, until he married Zella Gertrude Nonamaker, on Sept, 1. 1936. Those were the dust bowl years, and Bob said some people thought the world was coming to an end.
When Bob's father's health began to fail, Bob and Zella kept him in their home and cared for him, with the help from Bob's brothers, until he passed away. A daughter, Loretta Iva, was born in 1937.
In 1941, the family moved to another farm one and a half northwest of the first. That second farm was purchased for $15 an acre. In 1949, they moved to yet another farm two miles southwest of Gaylord, where Wayne and Loretta still farm. A second child, Jim Robert Wilson was born Nov. 3, 1954.
The farm didn't have electricity until Lorette was in high school. She remembers that her parents bought a Crosley radio from John Conrad that year at Chirstmas time, Indoor plumbing didn't come until 1960.
Bob raised cattle, hogs, corn, wheat, chickens, and as one of his grandsons remembers, "mean geese." He milked cows and sold cream and eggs to buy groceries in the early years. He retired from farm work in 1970 and the family moved to a small acreage near Gaylord.
Zella passsed away in 1977. they had been married 41 years at the time of her death. Bob married Dena Allen Nonamaker. on Valentine's Day, 1981, and they purchased a home in Smith Center. Bob and Dena were married for almost 25 years.
After he retired, Bob and Poke Eller took Marc fishing frequently.
Bob passed away at Smith County Memorial Hospital on Jan. 17. He had enjoyed good health until he suffered a broken hip on Dec, 19.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his five sisters: Beulah, Ruth, Florence, Martha and Jessie, his seven brothers Arden, Harvey, Victor, Emery, Charles, Woody and Kenneth, and his first wife, Zella.
He is survived by his wife, Dena, of Infinia Care Center in Smith Center, his daughter Loretta, and husband Wayne, of Gaylord; and his son Jim and wife Jackie of Agra.
He is also survived by five grandchildren; Marc Meyer and wife Suzy of Cortez, Colo; Darren Meyer and wife Patricia of Smith Center; Rebecca Wilson Muehlenkamp and husband Derek of Lakewood Colo.; Sheena Wilson of Phillipsburg, and Bobbie Joe Wilson of Agra; and six greatgrandchildren Jacob Meyer, Fort Collins, Colo., Katie Meyer, Tucson, Ariz.; Blake, Cara and Alese Meyer, Smith Center and Alexis Muehlenkamp of Lakewood, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral service was held Saturday, Jan. 21, at Simmons-Oliff-Boeve Chapel in Smith Center, with the Rev. Francis Runyon officiating. Burial was in the Cedar Cemetery. Pallbearers were Marc Meyer, Darren Meyer, Rebecca Muehlenkamp, Sheena Wilson, Bobby Joe Wilson and Derek Muehlenkamp.