Deleon Wilson

DeLeon "De" Wilson passed away Jan. 12, 2022, in The Villages, Florida. He was born in Anderson, Indiana, on June 17, 1931, the son of Dee Leon and Jewell M. Wilson. He is survived by his wife, Marlene "Joy" of The Villages; son, Rodney of Martinsburg, West Virginia; sister, Linda J. Cooper of The Villages, Florida; seven grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sons, Eric and Jeffrey; and his daughter, Karen. After moving to The Villages in 1996, he resumed his love of music and the trumpet by becoming a charter member of The Villages Concert Band, and he founded the Villages Swing Band in 2004. De graduated from Anderson High School in 1949, obtaining several masters degrees after joining the Air Force. He was a highly decorated 29-year veteran, retiring as Lt. Col. after serving tours in Goose Bay, Labrador, Panama, Vietnam, where he flew over 100 RF-101 and F-101B photo recon missions over the North, and various Stateside bases including WPAFB OH, where he was assigned to the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Environmental Medicine Division, until his retirement in 1979. Always versatile, he also learned Spanish while in the Service and taught Physiology, in Spanish, to the Brazilian AF. His decorations include: The Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster; DFC with two OLC; Air Force Commendation Medal; AFCM with one OLC; AFCM with two OLC; Meritorious service Medal; MSM with one OLC; AF Outstanding Unit Award with two OLC; Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon; GC Medal (Army); Combat Readiness Medal; Air Force LGY Service Ribbon with Silver Cluster; National Defense Service Medal with one OLC; Vietnam Service Medal with two OLC; GAL CRS W/Dev; RVN Camp Medal, and AF OUA w/V. De was a member of the Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge #77 in Anderson IN, a 32-Degree Scottish Rite Mason, Valley of Dayton, Ohio, and a member of the Shriners International Algeria Temple. While in the Dayton area, he also served as Commander of the American Legion Post 763 in Beavercreek. Other organization memberships include: The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross Society; the Air Force Association; Military Officers Association of America; 40 et 8 Voiture Nationale; the VFW; Air America Association; Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, and the DAV. No funeral is planned. A Ceremonial Interment of Cremains, with Military and Masonic honors, will be held at a later date at Anderson Memorial Park Cemetery, Anderson, Indiana. Donations may be made to Parkinson's disease research and The Fisher House, Tampa, FL.