Daniel J. Wilson

Daniel J. Wilson, 67, passed away September 30, 2022, at home after a short battle with glioblastoma (he thought he finally had an excuse for forgetting all our names).  His faith in God, plus his desire to laugh, gave him hope and comfort until the end. He shared both unceasingly with his family and friends, alternating between prayerful reflection and the corniest of dad jokes.  Surviving is his wife of 44 years, Roberta “Robynn” Wilson with daughters Tamra Wilson and Anastasia “Stacy” (Richard) Gray.  Also surviving is Eric Wise, a son gifted to them; eleven well-loved grandchildren still recovering from Grandpa Candy’s sugar high; and several nieces and nephews.

Dan was born to Virginia (nee Holt) and Richard Wilson in Elmhurst, Illinois.  He was the fifth of six children in a loving, busy family with two sisters, Patricia and Margaret “Peggy” Peterson (Jim), and three brothers, Michael, William (Antonia) and John “Jack” (Darla).  The family instilled in Dan that laughter was a special gift from God during both good and rough times – and he shared that lesson with many others throughout his entire life.  His surviving brothers, Bill and Jack, travelled last month to visit, pray and laugh with him.

Dan had a passion for education, earning degrees up to his Ph.D. (ABD). He shared this passion via substitute teaching and homeschooling his grandchildren in social studies.  However, he made sales management with SCM and Martin Yale his primary career. His favorite career role was as a partner with his dear friends at Inspired TEC, LLC up to the time of his death.

Dan was always a teen at heart, and with his wife, opened On Cue Billiards to connect with youth in a safe but fun environment. While many friends were gained during these years, the most important relationship formed was the one with Eric, now a beloved member of our family. In recent years, Dan relished in his grandchildren sharing his passion for ice hockey. Naturally, no one was as good as whichever grandson was on the ice at that moment – but Dan was a special fan to players, parents, and coaches alike in the early Perry Township, Junior Fuel and HSE Hockey communities.

Many of Dan’s favorite memories involved his time with our friends at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. Between volunteering at Lenten fish fries, dancing with his little girls in front of Marsh to sell more Tootsie Rolls, recruiting his future son-in-law to be part of the Knights’ degree team, or watching the parish evolve over the past 34 years, his faith and humor were always evident. He found a way to make the youth run towards Jesus – whether formatively through his early involvement in religious classes or literally by his performance as the Devil chasing them in the parish Haunted House. His gratitude for the friendships and blessings this community gave him and his family during particularly hard times in life never diminished.

Funeral arrangements are for Saturday, October 8^th at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church, 11441 Hague Rd, Fishers, IN.  The Knights of Columbus Council 6923 members will lead a Rosary at 10:10 am with the Funeral Mass at 10:30 am. A lunch immediately after the funeral will be provided and the inurnment at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Carolyn M. Kirincich Memorial Scholarship Fund, Knights of Columbus Council 6923, PO Box 691, Fishers, IN 46038 for education at trade/vocational schools, apprenticeships, colleges and universities or to the charity of your choice.

The family thanks the doctors at Ascension St. Vincent, along with our Compassus hospice nurses and staff – both for their excellent care provided and their tolerance of our collective, often dark, sense of humor during Dan’s illness.  We also want to particularly thank Dr Kevin Ward, DDS, a fellow Knight at SLDM, for using his gifts to let Dan enjoy eating his favorite meals and drink his chocolate malts pain-free in his final weeks.