Obituary
On the blustery afternoon of December 18th, in a room filled with the love of family and friends, Eric Wilson heard the Lord calling him home. Peacefully, he answered the call.
September 6th, 1950, Eric Theodore Wilson, first-born son of John "Jack" and Mavis Wilson of Crescent City, CA, graced the world with his presence. Eric was later joined by his three younger sisters; Trina, Kris and Marla. With a natural-born love for the outdoors, Eric spent his childhood playing along the banks of Jordan Creek, fishing the local rivers and beaches, and hunting for deer. Eric was a life-long member of Grace Lutheran Church. His faith was strong...his little light shined brightly throughout his life. Alongside his father, he logged the Redwood trees off a piece of his family's land in Fort Dick. Many years later, with his own son and grandsons as his crew, he re-harvested the same piece of land. It made him especially happy that he was able to acquire and use the same log loader that his father had used so many years prior. In his youth, Eric enjoyed playing baseball and football. He is remembered fondly by many for the time he spent coaching youth sports. In the 1980's, many summer evenings were spent contending against those heavy Crescent City winds to play in the mens' softball league. Eric excelled at football and upon his graduation from Del Norte County High School, he played for CR and won the state championship in 1969. In 1971, he played in the Camellia Bowl for Chico State. That same year his team was also the Far West Champions.
In 1970, Eric met "Hoopa girl", Kathleen Ione Fornaciari, and in her, he found his forever. Eric and Kathleen exchanged vows at the little white chapel in Salyer, CA, then they hopped into their convertible VW bug, "Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wilson" written with hearts and cans jangling on strings behind, and drove off to spend the next 52 years of their lives together.In 1973, two became three when they welcomed daughter, Knela Aimee, into their family. Eric would be known as "Big Eric" when son, Eric Michael “Little Eric”, was born in 1974. Three years later, in 1977, a daughter, Stephanie Suzanne, was born, completing their family.
Eric and Kathleen bought a fixer-upper house off of Lake Earl Drive. Eric would spend the rest of his life, Kathleen always at his side, raising his family and turning this house into the home which became the gathering place for countless Sunday dinners, Holiday meals, Birthday celebrations, Pumpkin carving contests, 4th of July Barbecues....a hub where children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends are always welcome.
During the 1970's, 1980's, and the early 1990's, Eric made a living through logging. He was also a talented, self-taught chainsaw artist. Many days, Eric could be found out back by his shop, an old cowboy hat worn atop his fluffy curls and a hickory shirt all covered with sawdust, running his chainsaw. He loved collecting his Redwood logs, then turning them into art. The 1990's found a cleaner cut Eric...he'd set aside his cowboy hat for his "don't worry be happy" hat.....a fitting motto to his calm, pleasant nature. Everything would take his time, pouring his heart into his work. He didn't just build a pantry. He built a pantry, then hand-cut 2" strips of lathe to cover the walls and ceiling. He didn't just set-up a salmon smokehouse . He hand-milled the Redwood log, his father's log, which he'd held onto for over 40 years, into the lumber to build it. In 1989, trading in hi-cork boots for a green jumpsuit and job security, Eric became a correctional officer at Pelican Bay and spent the next 23 years there until he retired.
After retirement, Eric and Kathleen enjoyed traveling with their close friends to enjoy the good life at the resorts in Mexico and Hawaii. Eric was "Papa"to 10 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He was an amazing Papa and truly enjoyed spending time with his family. We are richer for time spent with him: backpacking into the Marble Mountains; fishing for Perch at Pacific Shores..for Steelhead in the Smith River; clam digging; setting up deer camp; picking blackberries; planting a potato garden; wrangling the Grange turkeys and showing how to turn them into the beautiful bird on the Thanksgiving table. Eric was generous and kind to everyone he met; a friend to many from all walks of life. He'll be missed by the neighborhood dogs that stopped by every day for their piece of jerky and head scratches. He'll be missed by Mr. Crow Diddley, his crow friend of many years, who would stop by for the fresh chicken egg Eric would set out for him. We will all miss receiving his bags of smoked salmon and deer jerky or watching in amusement as he would prepare his chicken fried steak dinner. We will miss his great sense of humor....the way he'd end his phone calls with "I guess that's it for you" or his messages telling family to have a "sparkly day."
Preceding him in death: his father, John Wilson and granddaughter Hannah Wilson. He is survived by: wife, Kathleen Wilson; mother, Mavis (Dennis) Knight; sisters, Trina (Lou) Faiello, Kris (Mike) McMillan, Marla (Mark)Van Lienden; Brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Kathy Fornaciari; daughter, Knela (Jeff) Newton, son, Eric Wilson (Shanna Scott), daughter, Stephanie Gustafson (Ely Bacon); grandchildren, Nyke (Heather), Tevin (Lyndsie), and Chasen Newton (Drew Southard), Gunnar, Casey and Carson Gustafson, Eric "Bubs" Wilson (Aubree Haberman), Wyatt and Niilo Bacon; great grandchildren, KaBella, Nariah and Zaraya Newton, Trevin, Ryker and Brody Newton and numerous nieces and nephews. Once family, always family: Dan Gustafson. Friends that were like brothers: Ron Shellabarger, Jim “Jimmy” Holden, and Phil Jamieson.
A Celebration of Life is being planned for later in 2023.