Hello everyone, well it seems I rode my last ride on Sunday October 16, 2022. I gotta say it wasn't quite the ride I expected but it was still one hell of a ride. I could say that I am officially off the market for all you lovely ladies but then I wasn't on the market after reuniting with the love of my life, the beautiful Kelly Skeels. She always made me feel like the luckiest man alive and now in death I know she'll forever love me and I hope she will forever know how in love I was with her.

Now, I was born on March 8, 1963 in Fort Collins, Colorado to Allen Arlandus Wilson and Luella Hutton and given the name John Arlandus Wilson, sounds like a presidents name I think. However, my real mom was always Dorothy Wilson, the woman who raised me and loved me as if I were her own. Thank you for everything mom. I truly love you.

I, of course was the oldest child. My younger siblings include Bob Wilson who was the twin to my sister Barbara Ann Townsend, then there was Brian Wilson and the baby of the family Debra Rae Pederson. My sister Barbara is the last of us to survive.

I worked for Boise Cascade in Kettle Falls, WA for 35 years. Got some great memories from there. It was a good company to work for.

I've been married a few times. Rhonda, my first and second wife and I had two boys together. John Arlandus Wilson Jr and Bradley Allen Wilson. My third marriage was to Traci. Together we had Emily Jemina Wilson (Walker) and I helped to raise her two sons, Bryan Michael Meddock and Daniel James Meddock as if they were my very own sons. My fourth marriage was to Becky and together we had Catherine Michelle Wilson.

Thanks to my beautiful daughter Emily and her pretty cool husband Mark Walker I was blessed with 5 beautiful grandchildren. Riley, Ava'Mae, Silas, Arianna and Ezra. Adding to that grandchild list from Bryan (beautiful wife Jennifer Meddock who knows how to cook really good food) I have Madisyn (may she rest in peace), David, Martin, and Aubrey. From Daniel (beautiful girlfriend Cassie Wnorowski who he should have already married…hint hint) I have Alexandra, Daniel Jr and Rosabell. Last but not least from John Jr I have a grandson named Hunter. I also have multiple step-grandchildren.

Man was Christmas expensive but I wouldn't have changed it for the world. Besides, all those birthdays throughout the year meant lots of cake for me to eat and we all know how much I enjoyed eating cake.

Other than cake, I so loved hunting every year and no matter what I always got my deer. Remembering back to all those years my dad and I would go hunting together is a memory I have always treasured.

One of my passions was landscaping my yard. I have built so many flower gardens and ponds and loved every minute of it. I never really enjoyed working on a vehicle but I sure enjoyed working on my Harley especially with my future son in-law Zachary Sanders. Man that bike was so cool.

I truly enjoyed geo cashing so much that I would drag everyone along for the fun, especially Catie, my little geo cashing queen. I even enjoyed learning how to tie flys for fly fishing. Traveling to Nevada to see my folks and to Sturgis South Dakota for the bike rally and eating rocky mountain oysters.

But the best thing I enjoyed more than all of that was spending time with my children and grandchildren, taking so many pictures that I would get 'the look'. Even tho that was the 'geez dad stop' look I would only take more and more and every time they would all smile for me.

I hope none of this has made anyone cry as I don't want tears shed for me passing away. What I truly want is all smiles and laughter for the time you all had with me while I was alive.

Remember all the good times we had together and all the love we all shared for one another. I may not be with you now in person but I will hopefully be in your memories and in your heart forever. I love you all and I will miss you all and I thank you all for showing me the kindness, the love and giving me all that to take with me on my next journey. I lived such a beautiful life because of all of you. Always remember, I may be gone but I'm still here.

Forever yours,

John A Wilson