Obituary of Thomas Wilson

Thomas G. Wilson, Jr., 91, of Warriors Mark, passed away peacefully on June 16, 2012, at the Fairways at Brookline Village, State College. Born on May 20, 1921, in Halfmoon Township, he was the eldest child of the late Thomas G. Wilson, Sr., and Maude Fisher Wilson. On June 2, 1948, at Martha Baptist Church, he was married to Eleanor Parsons who preceded him in death on January 2, 2009, after 60 years of marriage. After attending one-room schools in Centennial and Stormstown, Tom moved on to Port Matilda High School from where he was graduated in 1940. He worked on his uncle's farm for one year before taking over his family farm and continued as a lifelong dairy farmer. His farm was a Century Farm that was purchased by his great-grandfather in 1864 and was passed father to son in each generation thereafter. He was a member of the Bible Baptist Church, Warriors Mark. Prior to that he was a long-time member of the Gatesburg Lutheran Church where he served on the Church Council. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Farmers Association and National Rifle Association and was an active member of the Halfmoon Grange for 71 years. He is survived by his two daughters, Diane M. Trullinger and her husband, Thomas, of Dauphin, and Patricia L. Burns and her husband, Marlin, of Warriors Mark. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Jamie Trullinger of Dauphin, Jessica and Tara Trullinger of Harrisburg, Michael Burns and his wife, Jerilee, and Matthew Burns and his wife, Emily, of Port Matilda, and Jenna Penley and her husband, Nathan, of Clarks Summit; and many loving nieces and nephews. Tom was a gentle, loving man who will be greatly missed by his family and extended family of friends who admired and loved him dearly. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his brother, James Lynn Wilson, of Orlando, Florida, and his sister, Arlene Wilson Carson, of Mechanicsburg. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 18, 2012 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College. A Grange Service will follow at 8 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 19th at the funeral home, with the Rev. Alan Kilian officiating. Friends will be received from 10 to 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Friends Cemetery, Halfmoon Township. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bible Baptist Church, PO Box 125, Warriors Mark, PA 16877. Online condolences may be made at www.kochfuneralhome.com.