James Albert “Jimmy” Wilson

James Albert “Jimmy” Wilson passed away peacefully at his home in Tokio, Arkansas, on Friday, July 5, 2024, as his daughter held his hand and kissed his head. Jimmy was born July 1, 1950, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the 5th of 9 children born to Ralph Courtney Wilson and Rosemary Girnus Wilson Mobbs. Jimmy was their wild child, the one who most definitely turned their hair gray. His siblings will tell you that he was also the son most doted upon by his parents and grandparents, which no doubt, encouraged his mischievous behavior. In 1954 Jimmy’s parents moved their family to Morrison, Colorado, where he attended kindergarten and first grade. From there they moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he attended Catholic School. Then to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he was an altar boy at the Catholic School he attended. His parents divorced in 1966, and his mother moved her family to Nashville, Arkansas. There he attended Nashville High School. In early 1969 he and his good friend started Walden & Wilson Citgo in Nashville where he served as owner and mechanic. In late 1969 he moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, with his brother Fred and made a home for many years. While living there, he did all sorts of odd jobs from mechanic work to carpentry, and everything in between. This was the beginning of a trade that he did throughout his life. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix, and he was always there to help family or friends when they needed him to work on anything. Jimmy was always a hard worker, but as the saying goes, “he worked hard but played harder”. He went back and forth from Nashville to Fort Collins over the years but mostly made Colorado his home until September 1981. He then married the mother of his children, Robin Archibald. After they married, they moved back to Nashville where they made a home, raised their children, and their children have raised their grandchildren. Jimmy and Robin divorced in 2004, but they remained close friends until the day that he died. Many years later he met Alicia Berry, whom he lived with and took care of until her passing in 2013. He was not a rich man, but he was a provider, and his children never wanted for anything. Jimmy was always rough around the edges, headstrong, and maybe even a little crazy, but he was also loyal, giving, intelligent, steadfast, and passionate. His passion never shined brighter than it did on Sundays when he was watching a race or football game. He always recorded every race or game he could to make sure no one he knew missed a wreck or a good tackle. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it. Becoming a grandfather brought out a soft side of him that none of us even knew he had. He loved all his grandchildren more than anything. He had a very special bond with his granddaughter and namesake, Jimma, whom he babysat daily until she entered kindergarten. He continued this after school until his health would no longer allow him to do so. He also had a very special bond with his beloved dog Sera and cat Felicia. Jimmy fought a long, hard battle with COPD and Emphysema, but through it all, he remained strong in his faith. He knew on the day he passed that he was headed to meet his Heavenly Father. We are confident that we will see him again when it is our time.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Forrest and Irene Wilson, maternal grandparents Gustaf and Emily Girnus, sister Emilie Roggio, mother Rosemary Mobbs, stepmother Joyce Wilson, special friend Alicia Berry, father Ralph Wilson, brother Patrick Wilson, brother-in-law Max Teeter, two stepbrothers, John Karber and Greg Karber, and his dog Sera.

He is survived by one daughter Wilhelmina Wilson Curry (husband Phillip) of Tokio, AR, one son Justin Wilson (wife Deidre) of Tokio, Arkansas, three brothers, Forrest Wilson of Murfreesboro, AR, Fred Wilson (wife Suzanne Michell) of Little Rock, AR, and Anthony “Tony” Wilson of Norman, OK, three sisters, Frances Wilson of Fort Collins, CO, Roberta Teeter of Tokio, AR, and Loretta Watts of Highland, AR, his stepfather Butch Mobbs of Highland, AR, three stepbrothers Phil Karber of Cambridge, MA, Stan Karber of Vietnam, and Kent Karber of Boulder, CO, six grandchildren, Madeline Wilson, Logan Burrus, Calvert Campbell, Jimma Curry, Dylan Wilson, and Farrah Wilson, the mother of his children, Robin Wilson of Falls Chapel, AR, a brother-in-law Perry Watts of Delight, AR, a sister-in-law Phyllis Craig of Delight, AR, a whole host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, friends, and his very best friend, his cat Felicia.

A memorial will be held at 10:00 am on August 3, 2024, at New Life Church in Nashville, Arkansas. Followed by the burial of his ashes at Nashville Cemetery.