George Leon “Pee Wee” Wilson age 82 of Crane, MO. passed away on June 11th, 2022. Pee Wee was born on December 12, 1939, in Shell Knob, Missouri. He was the 11th child of James Noah and Zyta Alice Wilson. They lived in the Shell Knob, Missouri area.
Pee Wee attended Fairview School through the 8th grade at which time his father passed away. He then quit school to go to work to help support his mother. His first job was at Spring Creek Mill in Crane at the age of 14. His new boss took one look at him and said, “You’re nothing but a Pee Wee”. That nickname stuck with him his whole life. Over the years, Pee Wee worked at the Casket Factory, Hickory House Locker Plant, Tasope, and worked on the White River clearing trees to build Beaver Lake. His last job was at Ozark Electric where he retired after 22 years of service.
Pee Wee was proceeded in death by his parents; James Noah and Zyta Alice Wilson; 7 sisters; Mary Asher, Maude Carney, Delia Mills, Dorthy Gann, Treva Sparks, Lucille Gold, and Nettie Wilson and 3 brothers; Floyd Wilson, Charlie Wilson, and Claude Wilson.
Pee Wee met Anna Lea Howerton in 1959 and they were married in 1961. Eventually, they had 5 children: Larry Wilson, Terry Wilson, Doug Wilson, Lisa Wilson Ruprecht, and Tina Wilson Johnson. On June 2, 2022, Pee Wee and Anna celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.
Pee Wee was very well known in the community for his kindness, his willingness to help others, his skill in tree climbing and removal, and his gift of storytelling. He had an incurable sweet tooth and loved soft peppermint candy. Over the years, he enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, working on the farm, and loved teaching his kids to waterski and hunt. He won many trophies in coon hunting competitions and received two awards for rescuing lost individuals in Piney Wilderness, after which he was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Barry County Mounted Search and Rescue. He instilled in his children the importance of hard work, standing up for oneself, taking care of your family, and the ability to fix anything with the whack of a hammer. More than anything, Pee Wee loved his wife, his kids, and his grandchildren were the light of his life.
Funeral services were held Thursday June 16, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in Westrip Funeral Home Crane, Missouri. Burial was in Bowling Chapel Cemetery Crane.
Pee Wee attended Fairview School through the 8th grade at which time his father passed away. He then quit school to go to work to help support his mother. His first job was at Spring Creek Mill in Crane at the age of 14. His new boss took one look at him and said, “You’re nothing but a Pee Wee”. That nickname stuck with him his whole life. Over the years, Pee Wee worked at the Casket Factory, Hickory House Locker Plant, Tasope, and worked on the White River clearing trees to build Beaver Lake. His last job was at Ozark Electric where he retired after 22 years of service.
Pee Wee was proceeded in death by his parents; James Noah and Zyta Alice Wilson; 7 sisters; Mary Asher, Maude Carney, Delia Mills, Dorthy Gann, Treva Sparks, Lucille Gold, and Nettie Wilson and 3 brothers; Floyd Wilson, Charlie Wilson, and Claude Wilson.
Pee Wee met Anna Lea Howerton in 1959 and they were married in 1961. Eventually, they had 5 children: Larry Wilson, Terry Wilson, Doug Wilson, Lisa Wilson Ruprecht, and Tina Wilson Johnson. On June 2, 2022, Pee Wee and Anna celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.
Pee Wee was very well known in the community for his kindness, his willingness to help others, his skill in tree climbing and removal, and his gift of storytelling. He had an incurable sweet tooth and loved soft peppermint candy. Over the years, he enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, working on the farm, and loved teaching his kids to waterski and hunt. He won many trophies in coon hunting competitions and received two awards for rescuing lost individuals in Piney Wilderness, after which he was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Barry County Mounted Search and Rescue. He instilled in his children the importance of hard work, standing up for oneself, taking care of your family, and the ability to fix anything with the whack of a hammer. More than anything, Pee Wee loved his wife, his kids, and his grandchildren were the light of his life.
Funeral services were held Thursday June 16, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in Westrip Funeral Home Crane, Missouri. Burial was in Bowling Chapel Cemetery Crane.
