Obituary of Russell L. Wilson

Russell Leland Wilson was called to his heavenly home Tuesday afternoon, March 18, 2025.

Memorial Service: 3:00 p.m. Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Genesis United Methodist Church.  Interment: Rice Cemetery, Alma, Texas.

Russell was born January 4, 1939, in Wewoka, Oklahoma, the son of Mary Mabel and Russell DeArman Wilson. He grew up in small, oilfield towns across southern Oklahoma, some of which exist today only in memory. Later, his family moved to Pauls Valley, Oklahoma where he met his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Collard. They married in 1959 and were wholly devoted to each other for nearly 65 years. They started their married life together in Shawnee, Oklahoma where Russell attended Oklahoma Baptist University. They then moved to Texas where he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.

Russell pastored churches in Tryon, Oklahoma, Fort Worth, Texas, and Bonita, Texas. His ministry then turned to counseling. He worked as a drug rehabilitation counselor, which then led him to working in the U.S. Courts in Pre-Trial Services and Federal Probation; always, for him, a counseling ministry. After retiring from the U.S. Courts in 1995, Russell served as chaplain with Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth for two years, then a hospice chaplain for ten years. This time was truly the culmination of his ministry, serving, advising, and counseling so many grieving families. Even in full retirement, he continued as chaplain to a financial firm in Fort Worth.

As an active member of Genesis United Methodist Church for over 30 years, he led a Sunday School class for many years, taught many classes in spiritual formation and led Life After Loss grief recovery groups with Carolyn.

Russell loved people and was a friend to so many. He loved his wife and family fiercely. And Russell loved God. His faith was truly central to who he was as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, teacher, and friend. He avidly sought (he would sometimes say “wrestled with”) God throughout his life, again and again amazed by new things that God would show him in Bible study, in prayer, and through other Christians. He loved Jesus with all his heart.

He was preceded in death by his wife Carolyn, parents Russell D and Mabel Wilson, brother Michael Wilson, and sister Beth Malone.

He is survived by his daughter Sherrie, son Scott and his wife Pam, grandson Jonathan Wilson and his wife Alexandra and their children Malia and Silas; granddaughter Sarah Dickerson and her husband Daniel and their daughter Evangeline; and granddaughter Becca Thurston and her husband Joey.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Russell’s name may be given to a charity of choice or to FOCUS college campus ministry at anyfocus.org.