Alan Ray Wilson

Alan Ray Wilson, age 84, of Grants Pass, died Friday, July 27, 2007 at his home.

Family services have been held. Southern Oregon Cremation Services are in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to a charity of choice.

Alan was born April 3, 1923 in Oakland, California to Thornton & Irene Wilson. At the age of five he started playing the cello. Together with his mother and sister, he performed in symphonies in Berkeley, California tea rooms. He later performed in the Mormon Symphony of Oakland, California. For three years he served as a pilot in the United States Air Force in the South Pacific Theater. He received his Masters of Education degree from the University of California at Berkeley and taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades for 15 years in Oakland. He later lived in Guam for 12 years where he worked as a school principal. On September 1, 1984 in Walnut Creek, California he married Dorene (Pennington) Pierce Hankins. They moved from Berkeley to Eugene, where they lived for 13 years. In 2005 they moved to Grants Pass.

He volunteered as a scoutmaster for five years.

His hobbies included flower gardening, playing bridge, reading historical and philosophical books.

Survivors include his wife, Dorene Wilson of Grants Pass; four children, Mark Wilson of Oakland, Oregon, Paul Wilson of Winston, Oregon, David Wilson of Singapore and Laura Magpali of Eugene, Oregon; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his son, John Wilson.