Robert Lee Wilson

Robert Lee Wilson, 93, of Celo, passed away on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at Aston Park Health Care Center in Asheville. Robert was a native of Yancey County, the son of the late Alex and Florence Sturgill Wilson. Robert was a proud veteran of the Air Force, serving 20 years. During his years of service, he visited every continent and loved to talk about his time in England, France, Greenland, and New Zealand. After retiring from the military and returning to Yancey County he worked at Hickory Springs and Glen Raven, served several years as a member of the South Toe Volunteer Fire Department and was a deacon at Browns Creek Baptist Church, where he attended faithfully. Above all, he loved and cherished his family, community, and country.

Robert was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife Kathleen Grace “Evelyn” Wilson; daughter: Mary Lee Rich; and brothers: Geter, Ralph, Arthur and J.E. Wilson. Surviving is his daughter: Cindy Frost, and husband Bruce, of Mars Hill; granddaughter: Stacy Powers-Hanna, her husband Todd Hanna and great grandson Cayden Powers, of Greenville, SC; son-in-law: Ken Rich, of Garner, NC; brothers: Willard (Ann), Frank (Mary Emilie), David (Juliene); Sisters: Anna Kate Cook and Barbara Watts (Bobby); and sister-in-law’s: Barbara Smith; Nina and Amaryllis Wilson. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

A graveside service will be held at Ballew Cemetery on Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 1:00 PM. Reverend Donald Davis will be officiating, and Sgt. Emmit L. Randolph Chapter No. 57 Disabled American Veterans will be officiating military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Compassionate Care Western North Carolina, 856 Georges Fork Road, Burnsville, NC 28714, https://compassionatecarewnc.org and the Broyhill Children’s Home, P.O. Box 338. Thomasville, NC 27361, https://www.bchfamily.org.

Honorary Pallbearers are Dwight Wilson, Steven Wilson, Duane Cook, Billy Watts, Cayden Powers, David Smith, Kevin Smith and Royce Carroway.

Holcombe Brothers Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Wilson family.

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