Vestle Edward Wilson

Vestle Edward Wilson passed away Thursday, April 5, 2018 at Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia, at age 96. Visitation will be Sunday, April 8, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, April 9, 2018 at the Groesbeck Church of Christ, with Brother Richard Williams officiating.    Burial will follow in Hogan Cemetery. Pallbearers are Danny Saling, Brandon Wilson, Brandon Nugent, Keith Easter, Skip Spurlock, and Paul Wilson.   Honorary pallbearers are Herbert Gene Wilson, Dale Wilson, Jack Garrett, Charley Wilson, and Randy Wilson Vestle was born October 30, 1921 to John William Wilson and Pearl Henry Gates Wilson in Box Church, one of nine children.   In the Wilson family, all the boys’ names started with V and all the girls' names started with A.  He grew up and attended school in Box Church. Vestle was united in marriage with Frances Hudson on April 4, 1941, and they made their home locally all their lives, living sometime in Box Church, Thornton, Ben Hur and then many years near Groesbeck.  Vestle was a member of the Church of Christ. Vestle, a life-long rancher, may have been one of the last of the “real” cowboys in this area.   With his horse and his cow-dogs (usually about 15 trained dogs) he spent a great part of his life working cattle for his self and for many others.  “Sonny” was his favorite horse and Ruff, Whiz, and Tom were the favorite of his many dogs. Vestle had many stories of his cowboy experiences.  One of his favorite stories was of the gathering of cattle for the Leonard Brothers out of a 20,000 acre place in the Trinity River bottom when the state had bought it to build a prison.   His son Henry, high school age at the time, helped on this work, during which Vestle caught two bulls with one rope and tied them to a tree.   Another of the memories he liked to talk about was driving cattle out of the Rawls Sparks river-bottom place during a flood of the Navasota River.    He took his horse and dogs and didn’t lose a hoof.  Then there was the time he gathered up the scattered cattle when a cattle truck overturned in Robertson County.   But the real recognition of his toughness and ability was when a Brahma bull jumped off the cattle truck at the sale barn, climbing over the other bulls in front of him, and ran off, over three miles across town.   Vestle not only roped the wild bull but led him all the way back down the streets of Groesbeck to the auction barn.   The cowboy life was dangerous but he and his family could look back in later years with pride and fond memories. Vestle liked to hunt and fish.   He loved river fishing in a boat with Henry and Wayne, with trips to the Red River and the Mississippi River and Palestine Lake.   He hunted squirrels, which Mrs. Wilson would cook for the family, as she always cooked anything he provided from his hunting. He felt like Henry was closer to being a brother than a son. Vestle enjoyed being with his family and enjoyed holiday gatherings at Henry and Judy’s home in Gilmer, seeing his children, grandchildren, and great and great-great grandchildren.    Henry and Judy from Gilmer, and Martha and husband Jim and son Danny Saling locally, were devoted to their father, with Martha providing his meals and round-the-clock care when needed in his last few years of failing health.    Also, his caregivers Annie Wu and Rita Curci took very good care of him.  He insisted on living independently at home until very recently. Vestle was preceded in death by his parents; all eight of his brothers and sisters; his sons, Wayne Edward Wilson and Jerry Hudson Wilson; and his wife, Frances Wilson. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Judy Wilson of Gilmer; daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Jim Saling of Groesbeck; daughter-in-law, Mary Wilson of Manassas, Virginia; daughter-in-law, Dorothy Wilson of Gilmer; and sister-in-law, Janie Odom of Mesquite.   His eight grandchildren are:  Danny Saling of Groesbeck; Pam Spurlock of Gilmer, Lanette Nugent of Gilmer, Paul Wilson of Gilmer, Sheryl Chambers of Groesbeck; Hollie Easter of Burkburnett, Dr. Cynthia Wilson of Connecticut, and Brandon Wilson of Gilmer; and there are also nineteen great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews and other extended family.