Obituary of John DeForest Wilson

John DeForest Wilson passed away on Friday, July 13, 2018 at home, surrounded by his loving family. He was the fourth of ten children born to Robert Harold Wilson and Lillian Stratton Wilson. John graduated from Fallsburg High School in 1947 and was a life-long employee of the New York Telephone Company, interrupted only by his service in the United States Army, where he was stationed in the Canal Zone in Panama. He married Dotty in 1950 and they enjoyed nearly 68 years of marriage living in Woodridge and South Fallsburg. John was known for his love of family, his garden, his hydroponic tomatoes, his flowers and his great amount of knowledge on almost every topic. He liked to call himself a "jack of all trades and master of none!" Always faithful and possessing a strong sense of right and wrong, John's favorite poem was "Invictus" by William Ernest Henly, and he lived by its last lines: "It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Godspeed, Dad. He was predeceased by his parents, brothers James B. Wilson and Richard O. Wilson, and sisters Roberta ("Bobbie") Smith and Georgia Lousidas. He is survived by his devoted wife, Dotty; his three adoring "girls" and their families: Stephani W. Humrickhouse (Scott) of Raleigh, NC, Terri W. Golden (Brian) of Otisville, NY, and Dawn E. Wilson of Woodridge, NY; his four doting grandchildren, John Wilson Humrickhouse of Wilmington, NC and Shelby Wilson Golden, Ben Wilson Golden and Jack Wilson Golden of Otisville, NY; brother, Royal ("Butch") Wilson (Jan) of Seven Lakes, NC; sisters, Argie Gilbert (Ed) of Sarasota, FL, Virginia Orseck (Gerald) of Liberty, NY, Dorothy Wilson of McCormick, SC, and Dianne Neiderman (Andrew) of Palm Springs, CA; sister-in-laws, Shirley Kantrowitz of Peoria, AZ, and Charlotte Wilson of South Fallsburg, NY; and, numerous nieces and nephews who will sadly miss their "Uncle Johnny." The family is grateful for his faithful caregiver, Dilma. Donations in John's name can be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Ct. Newburgh, NY 12550 or to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 5277 NY-42, South Fallsburg, NY 12779. Visitation will be held from 11a to 12p on Friday, July 20, 2018 at Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Route 52, Woodbourne, NY 12788. Burial will follow at Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery, Liberty, NY with full military honors. Arrangements under the care of Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, for further information call 845-434-7363 or visit www.colonialbryantfuneralhome.com