Ronald J. Wilson

GROVELAND – Ronald J. Wilson, 85, resident of Groveland, died on December 2, peacefully surrounded by loving family.

Ron was born on June 22, 1938, son of Shirley and Albert Wilson, in Barre Vermont.

Ron was passionate about restoring, driving and most of all, talking about cars, most notably antiques. He had a knack for quickly identifying the year, make and model of all sorts of vehicles and was not afraid to get his hands dirty in a junk-yard to find that elusive, replacement part. A couple of favorites included a 1967 Mustang convertible which he restored and presented to his wife Diane as a 40th birthday present and a 1956 Ford Truck which he found in Texas and drove back to MA with lawn chairs for seats and holes in the floorboards you could see through. After the restoration, he beamed at the three on the tree transmission, the eight-track player and the camper on the back. He was a hot-rodder by heart and would enjoy his friends in the Haverhill area who worked in the auto industry. In addition to cars, he was an avid collector of coins, particular sliver dollars, as well as stamps, lionel trains, model cars and Roseville pottery.

Ron spent his younger days in Ipswich, MA before moving to Haverhill and attending Haverhill High School.  After high school, he honorably served his country in the Army including being stationed in Germany. His interest in cars lead him to rent space with friends in a hangar at the Dutton Airport in Haverhill, MA. There he met his loving wife of 59 years, Diane, who lived with her family at their home on the airport grounds. After spending a few years in Haverhill, Ron and Diane moved to King Street in Groveland for many years before settling into their condo in Whitestone Village, also in Groveland.

Ron was a loyal employee for more than 40 years at Borden Chemical in North Andover, MA. Extremely handy and able to repair almost anything, he worked closely with the sales team to sell and service pallet wrap machines. This gave him the opportunity to travel across the U.S. He also assisted in activities in the quality assurance lab at the Borden facility. He thoroughly enjoyed the tennis matches at lunch during the summer and the weekly golf league.  

Throughout his life, Ron was always quick to lend a helping hand to family, friends and co-workers. Whether it took a pick-up truck, a trailer, some elbow grease or just some advice, he enjoyed being called upon and always delivered. Ironically, it was nearly impossible for Ron to accept help from others and he treated it as a badge of honor to pull things off by himself. 

Later in life, Ron became “Grampy” to his beloved grandchildren, David and Catherine.  He and “Mimi” were thrilled to watch the kids at their house on King Street, in particular in the summer when the pool was open. He enjoyed the various family trips to Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard where he was the ultimate kite enthusiast and helped the kids locate crabs and jellyfish with their trusty nets. He and Mimi were regular attendees at sporting events, recitals and other events. When it came to gift giving, he enjoyed watching his grandchildren tirelessly open up boxes inside of boxes or tear apart layer upon layer of tape and twine to find the prize inside. The longer it took, the bigger his smile.

Surviving members of his family include his beloved wife of 59 years Diane (Dutton) Wilson; his daughter Elizabeth Wilson of Groveland, MA; his son Dave Wilson and his wife Annie (Olsen) Wilson of Groveland, MA. He also leaves cherished grandchildren, Catherine Wilson and David Wilson, Jr. He is also survived by his loving brother Frank Wilson and his wife Janice, of Milton, MA and was known as Uncle Ronnie to many nieces and nephews. 

Ron is predeceased by his parents, Shirley (King) and Albert Wilson and stepfather Bill Hannah.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 6, in the Driscoll Funeral Home, 309 S. Main Street, Haverhill, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Funeral service on Thursday, December 7, in Riverside Church, 278 Groveland Street, Haverhill at 10:00 AM. Please meet directly at the church. Interment with U.S. Army Honors will follow in Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill. For guestbook, visit www.driscollcares.com

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ron’s memory to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) at 275 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH 03101.