Walter Junior Wilson (Whitey) was born November 5, 1932 to Walter and Pearl Wilson in Choteau, Mt. He grew up in the Choteau, Augusta, and Simms areas.
He joined the Navy and served in the Korean conflict. After Korea he was stationed on ships in the Bikini Islands where he witnessed the first hydrogen bomb blast. Following his discharge from the navy, he worked various construction jobs in the Choteau area.
He married his sweetheart Gwenlyn Thompson on June 3, 1956. They made Choteau their home. They ran Whitey’s Exxon service station. Next stop was the Lincoln area. Here Whitey worked with his sons in the timber industry and at the Bouma Post Yard. Following an accident that nearly claimed his left hand, he ran a trailer court. Later, he sold the trailer court, and started West Slope Consignment and Tractor sales.
After many seasons of braving the cold and snow, they decided to move out of the mountains. They relocated to a small farm east of Simms. Here, he continued his tractor business and enjoyed raising animals. In 2005, The Lord called his love Gwen home.
After a period of time, he married his current wife Lavera (Kathy). They adopted a baby boy and named him Shane. Whitey was also the biological father of Jerry L. Emerson Sr. He got a kick out of telling everyone that there was 60 years and 1 day between his oldest and youngest son.
He is survived by his wife Lavera: sons Jerry, Randy, Bob, and Shane: brother Donald: 5 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Croxford Funeral Home website.
