Clinton W. Wilson

Clinton Wilson, M.D., loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend passed on to eternal life on Saturday, May 13, 2006 after a long and vigilant battle with advanced prostate cancer. Cremation has taken place at his request. Friends may call from 5:00-7:00 on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at Kerley-Starks & Mechinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road. The memories of Clinton W Wilson, M.D. will be shared on Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Cancer Services, Scottdale United Methodist Church or University of Michigan Cancer Center, Dr. Ken Pienta’s Research Fund. Friends wishing to send a condolences may do so at the Guest book at www.starks-menchinger.com. Dr. Wilson’s life began on August 31, 1931 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to the delight of his parents, Harold and Jean Wilson. Clint’s greatest love was farming and in order to support his hobby, he became a physician. He graduated from the University of North Carolina Medical School with top honors in 1957. Clint moved to Ann Arbor to partake in the first trial of a Family Practice Residency with the University of Michigan. His residency brought him to Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor, MI. Dr. Wilson served over 15,000 patients between 1957 and 1997 in his private Family Practice at 925 Pipestone. While in family practice, Dr. Wilson pioneered the first 24- hour physician staffed emergency department at a rural hospital. He retired from this position in January of 2005. Some of the hightlights of his distinguished career include: Michigan College of Emergency Physicians ER Physician of the Year Award, 2001 and the American College of Emergency Physicians Longevity Award for serving as an Emergency Department Physician for 40 years. Education has always been a priority of Dr. Wilson’s. He loved to learn and he loved to teach. He developed the Michigan Community Hospital Education Program affiliated with the University of Michigan in 1957 and served as Medical Director of Continuing Medical Education until he retired from this position in December, 2005. Although he loved medicine, his first love was always farming. Dr. Wilson combined his love for farming and education by starting The Children’s Farm. Here, he shared his love and wisdom with countless children and their families. His advice for farming will stay with them throughout their lives. Plant a seed, add fertilizer, water and hoe so that the plant will grow. In his garden he not only grew vegetables, but people. His motto was “The Farm, Where Children Grow”. Dr. Wilson saw the potential in each seed that landed on his farm and he provided the water, the fertilizer and the hoe to make them grow. His favorite saying was “To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow.” Clint knew how much everyone loved him and he loved them back tenfold. Take that special part of you that Clint touched and let it grow; live life to it’s fullest. There was not a day in his life that he did not wake up excited to embrace the day. Let the memories of this great man live forever and always believe in tomorrow. Survivors include his wife Cheryl. Daughter Kathy (Charles) Mitchell, sons David (Denise) Wilson and Bruce (Lori) Wilson. Grandchildren: Amber (Todd) Bowen, Amanda (Brian) Sidberry, Jennifer Wilson, Samantha and Eli Wilson. Great Grandchildren: Brevin and Drew Bowen and Kendall Sidberry. Sister Elva Perry, Brothers Jim (Joyce) Wilson and Dan (Heather) Wilson. Several nieces and nephews and lifetime friends including Jerry (Hillary) Levi. In-Laws, Bob (Mary Jo) Weise, Judi Weise, Bill (Kim) Weise, Mike (Kayla) Weise, Amy (Cathy) Weise and Mark (Mary) Weise. He was predeceased by his mother Jean Wilson, his father Harold Wilson, his stepmother Helen Wilson his brother and idol Gordon Wilson and his children’s mother Betty Wilson.