Obituary: Garland Essa Wilson, Milton-Freewater, Umatilla Co., Oregon.

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Valley Herald Milton-Freewater, Oregon

	Dedicated local historian, Garland Essa Wilson 80, passed away September
26, 2002, at his home in Milton-Freewater of a heart attack.  A funeral service
was held in the chapel of the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home 902 S. Main St.
Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Masonic retualistic services were conducted.  
Contrubutions can be made to the Genealogy and Archives Room of the new 
Milton-Freewater Livrary throught the funeral home.  Concluding services
and interment will be in the Milton-Freewater Cemetery.
     Wilson was born Jan 2, 1922, in Huntington, W.V. to James Essa and
Mary Marguerite Halley Wilson.  He moved to Athalia, Ohio in 1935, and later 
to Swan Creek Ohio.  He graduated from Rome High School in 1939, where he was
a member of the school's state championship basketball team adn was Ohio state 
high school typing champion.  After joining the Civilian Conservation Corps, he
served in Tulle Lake, Calif., and Dayton, Wash., where he met Iris E Scoggin. 
They were married Aug. 2, 1941, in Lewiston Idaho.  During World War II, he was
a civilian clerical worker at Wright-Patterson Army Air Corps.  He worked as an
electrician for many years and later owned and operated a local restaurant with
his wife.
     He was a 50-year member of Dayton 26 R.A.M.S.  Free and Accepted Masons of
Washington, where he was Grand Master on numerous occasions.  From 1995 to 1998
he served as Grand Historian of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Free and 
Accepted Masons of Washington.
     Of his many interest, the greatest was regional history and genealogy.  He
was a charter member of the Walla Walla Valley Genealogical Society and a member
of the Blue Mountain Genealogical Society.  He compiled several regional genealogy
source books and was consulted by people across the nation about area history and
genealogy.  His work in compiling and preserving area historical records and 
preserving area historical records was recognized by an Excellence in Community
Service Award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
and an award from the Umatilla County Historical Society.  In 1998, he received the
Golden Pioneer Award from the Milton-Freewater Area Chamber of Commerce.  He vol-
unteered hundreds of hours of volunteer time to the Ezra Meeker Trail Project
and working with area school children on local history projects.  He had also
served on the Milton-Freewater Cemetery Board.
     Wilson is survived by one son, Gary L. Wilson and his wife Laurie of Graham,
Wash., a daughter, Deanna Partlow and her husband Bob of Olympia, Wash.; one 
brother, Roy Wilson of Springfield, Ohio, and one sister, Jo Ann Taylor of West-
port, Conn.  Survivors also include 10 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Iris, in 1995, his parents and two sisters, 
Freeda Turner and Thelma Jackson.