James Ray Wilson
James Ray Wilson was born on October 4, 1945, in Peoria, to Mary Louise Cline and David Campbell Wilson. He passed away peacefully on May 19, 2026 surrounded by family. He was raised in the small town of Farmington, alongside his two older brothers, William T. and D. Dean Wilson. Like his brothers, Jim inherited what the family fondly referred to as “Stubborn Wilson Syndrome.” However, rather than following in their footsteps, Jim chose his own path—pursuing art and attending colleges different from his brothers, carving out a life uniquely his own. Jim graduated from Farmington High School in 1963 and went on to study Commercial Art at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Not long after, he was drafted into the United States Army. He served as an Avionics Repair Technician aboard the USS Corpus Christi during the Vietnam War from September 1967 to July 1970. Following his return from Vietnam, Jim began his career in education with the Northwest School District, where he taught art to K–12 students and speech to high school students. While teaching, he continued his own education at Western Illinois University, earning a Master’s degree in Art Education with a minor in Speech Communication. Jim dedicated 33 years to Western Illinois University, where he worked as a supervisor in the Graphic Design and Visual Production Center. In addition to his role, he shared his knowledge and passion by teaching evening courses in Advertising Design. Outside of his professional life, Jim’s greatest joy was his love for dogs. For a time, he operated a side business training police, drug detection, and search-and-rescue dogs on his farm. He also enjoyed photography and had a passion for fast cars. In later years, he could often be seen driving around town in his 2005 Chevrolet SSR. After retiring, Jim moved to Spring Lake, Michigan, where he lived in a small home near the water. There, he built a 17-foot wooden kayak and spent his time kayaking on the lake or hiking through the nearby woods with his beloved dogs. Jim was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Clarence McMaster; his brothers, William and Dean Wilson; and his stepsister, Sue Myers. He is survived by his stepbrother, Jay McMaster, as well as many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly and will miss him greatly. He will be remembered fondly by his chosen family of friends in the Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Fruitport, MI area. Graveside services will be held at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Farmington, on Thursday, July 23 at 10:3 0am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jim’s memory to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Freedom Paws (California), or the Michigan Great Pyrenees Rescue. Online condolences may be left at www.sedgwickfuneralhomes.com