Donald Ray Wilson, age 83, of Lebanon, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026.
Don was born on October 13, 1942, in Downey, California to Ruth Louise Rogers Wilson and Phil Longwell Wilson. He was one of three children. From an early age Don developed a strong interest in history and genealogy, learning that the family story began in Scotland and of their journey to America. He had a lifetime love of the “old times”, including the Old West and cowboys, the Civil War and WWII maritime history, immersing himself not only in learning about these times, but also in bringing them to life through reenactments and learning trades such as black powder shooting and blacksmithing.
Don married his high school sweetheart and welcomed his first-born daughter in 1970. Don worked most of his adult career as a production operator in a manufacturing plant, in Carson, CA where he worked diligently to provide for his family. He would go on to meet the love of his life, Verna “Sam” Sams and marry her in 1980 when he was 38 years old. He lovingly and happily adopted her two children and together they raised three children while co-parenting his oldest daughter, building a peaceful life rooted in love, dedication and family. Later in life he found great joy in working as a railroad engineer at Knott’s Berry Farm where he operated the historic steam engine “Old 41”, where he often joked about being able to “drive around a $6 million dollar vehicle every day!” He also loved volunteering as a docent at Calico Ghost Town in Yermo, California, where he donned full period attire and brought history to life for visitors. His passion and dedication earned him a place in the Calico Character Hall of Fame as “Deadwood Don.”
Don was known for his big heart and remarkable sense of humor. An expert at storytelling, he loved to make people laugh. He enjoyed riding his horses and motorcycles and won numerous trophies for his dirt bike racing. He was an avid animal lover and once raised two orphaned baby pigeons, shared his ice cream with his pet dogs and cats, fed baby skunks in the neighborhood and made sure the feral cats at Knott’s Berry Farm were well-fed. His devotion to his family was evident to all who knew him. He quit his dream job to move to Oregon by himself and care for his aging father-in-law until his passing. He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and enjoyed serving alongside his wife in the library on Sundays. He bravely faced the challenges of dementia in his later years of life, but still managed to always keep his sense of humor. In his final days at the nursing home, he had family and staff chuckling after they discovered he had hidden cookies in his shirt.
Don is survived by his best friend and beloved wife of 45 years, Sam Wilson; children: Christine (Jimmy) Wilson, Jonathan (Chaundra) Wilson, Joanne (Miguel) Felix, and Jenny (Philip) Loveridge; grandchildren: Nagel, Bowen, Cedrich, Aislinn, Liam, Connall, Maddock, Kendrick, Avalyn, Joshua, Kathryn, Lauren, Gavin, and Colin; great-grandchild Alex; siblings: Peggy Boe and Phillip (Tami) Wilson; and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Ruth and Phil Wilson.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in his home state of California.
Sellars Funeral Home, Lebanon TN, 615.444.9393.
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This obituary was published by Sellars Funeral Home – Lebanon.
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