Harry Richard "Dick" Wilson

Dick Wilson died Sunday, February 16th, 2025 with his wife Delma by his side. He was 100 years old.

Harry Richard (Dick) Wilson was born in Klickitat, Washington, on January 2nd, 1925, to Harry Otis and Marie Jane (Adams) Wilson. He joined two older sisters, Velma and Betty.  At the age of three, the family moved to Bickleton where Harry managed the Farmers Mercantile Company. This is where young Dick grew up and received his early education.

One memorable tale during this time was that he and Keith Jensen acquired a Ford model A, and proceeded to get it to run on diesel, which was quite a smoke show it was told.

He graduated early from Bickleton High School, and in early 1943 at the age of 17, joined the United States Navy where he served in the Pacific on the USS Satterley during World War II . He served for 3 years, 3 months and 8 days as a Radar Electronics Technician’s Mate, a rating that would also qualify him as a general electrician. He then went on to receive his degree in Business Administration from Washington State College, graduating in 1949.

After completing his degree, he returned home hoping to work with his father who had by then established H. O. Wilson Company. Harry couldn’t afford to hire him so he had to make his own way. Dick began selling and trading farm equipment and machinery on commission. The rest is history. He met with farmers and ranchers from Goldendale to Horse Heaven and beyond. He had a cup of coffee at many a kitchen table. It wasn’t too long till Harry put him on the payroll.

In 1951 he and fellow Bickletonian Ranald Ferguson traveled the Pan-American Highway throughout South America sponsored by the International Harvester Company. After a lengthy 9500 mile tour they sold the IH truck for a couple of plane tickets and flew home to the United States.

 In the fall of both ’53 and ’54, he and Ranald along with Bickletonians Hap Godfredson and Dick Kessinger returned to Mexico for the Mexican Road Races where he was a mechanic for the Lincoln pit crew. Dick also climbed Mount Rainier around this time.

On June 28, 1958 he married Delma Louise Allbritton at the Bickleton Presbyterian Church. By this time Dick was an integral part of H. O. Wilson Company. Delma’s family raised cattle and farmed. This led to the purchase of their own ranch just north of Bickleton in 1963 where they ran a modest cattle herd, farmed and had their bustling home of 5 Wilson boys; Karl Gregory, David Alan, Thomas Dempster, Lewis Cory, and Clayton Ellis.

The cattle were eventually sold off as they focused on growing their business to serve the ranch and farming community in Bickleton and the surrounding area.  Dick was a dealer for International Harvester, Calkins and many other brands. Over the years services provided have included machinery & truck sales, fertilizer sales & application, bulk fuel delivery, farm chemical sales, water pump service, grain bin sales and installation, electrical work, hardware & household goods sales and mostly friendly advice.

As his sons, the Wilson boys, grew up Dick mentored them into the work of the ranch and the store. They learned to weld, wire, plumb, operate equipment, and many other skills at an early age. He also bought a boat so the young family could enjoy water skiing, and he enjoyed snow skiing as well.

One of Greg’s landmark memories was Dick showing him how to farm with the TD-9 crawler and disc and then bring left to complete the job solo. Greg was 11 years old.

Another project was building a cabin on White Pass with good friend and brother-in-law Dale Johnson, sister Velma’s husband. The basic building was built by contractor and friend Paul Rupp. The wiring, plumbing, and a variety of other tasks were performed by family, supervised by Dick. On many weekends in 77 – 78, Dick, the boys, Dale, sometimes Delma and Velma, would make the trip to Wildcat Creek to work on the cabin. The family has many fond memories of building and maintaining the cabin, skiing at White Pass, hiking around the area and playing board games late into the night.

Dick was a community minded man. A member of the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Lodge, he ran thru the chairs, served as Secretary, and was Sexton for the IOOF Cemetery north of town for several years. He secretly purchased a few extra lots there to be used for individuals whose family could not afford to buy a lot.

He was also very involved in the Alder Creek Pioneer Picnic and Rodeo. For decades he volunteered as electrician, water system maintainer, vendor procurer, among all the other things you do as a volunteer in a small community.

Dick, along with many others, was instrumental in maintaining a thriving community in Bickleton, providing funds or equipment or labor to keep businesses and organizations running. Once, when the local café needed to relocate because the tenants couldn’t afford the repairs on a septic system, 22 Bickletonians, including Dick and good friend Tom Juris, co-signed a bank note procuring funds to purchase and renovate a different building for the tenants to operate.

The H. O. Wilson Company served the community of Bickleton and many other residents of Klickitat, Yakima, and Benton counties and had a reputation far and wide; you just had to wander in and ask, if he didn’t have it right there he would order it in. Over the 77 years of the family business, he trained and employed many people, with many tales to tell.

In his semi-retirement he kept his community spirit alive by continuing to be the extra hand needed when called upon.  Blessed with good health, a loving family, and a positive spirit that makes life worth living, he continued to be active in many organizations including the Alder Creek Pioneer Association, the Odd Fellows Lodge, and the Alder Creek Grange, to name a few.

Dick and Delma frequented the Market Street Café, run by Jennifer Wilson, wife of son Greg. They enjoyed rolling for coffee and tips, a good game of Cribbage or Pinochle, and working on the community jigsaw puzzle.

In 2012, Dick received the OP Kreps Award from the Klickitat County Cattlemen Assn., an honor for being a reliable vendor and proponent of the local cattle industry. Also in 2012, Dick was president of the Alder Creek Pioneer Association.

In 2022 he and Delma sold their home and 360 acre ranch north of town to grandson Jamison Wilson and his wife Chelsea. They built a new home in Bickleton just south of the Grange Hall and moved in on November 11, 2023. They were now “Townies”.

Dick was the recipient of an Honorary membership in The American Legion, Louie Leidl Post #116 in Goldendale, Washington.

In 2024 he and Tom Juris each received a quilt from the Quilts of Valor Foundation at the Alder Creek Pioneer Picnic Morning Program. The quilts were handmade by volunteers in the Tri-cities and intended to show appreciation for each veteran’s service and sacrifice by giving them something tangible to hold on to.

Dick was the last living veteran of World War II in Klickitat County.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Harry O and Marie Wilson (she lived to 103 ½) and sisters Betty (Jack) Johnson (Allen) Poole and Velma (Dale) Johnson (she lived to 105), and good friend Tom Juris just a few days prior.

Dick is survived by; Delma Wilson, his wife of 66 years, 5 Sons; Greg Wilson with wife Jennifer, David Wilson with wife Joanne, Tom Wilson with wife Amy, Cory Wilson, and Clay Wilson with wife Susan. 5 Grandsons; Jamison Wilson with wife Chelsea, Walter Wilson, Kip Wilson, Dylan Wilson, and Nolan Wilson. 4 Granddaughters; Kelli Wilson with husband Nick Kinney, Ella Wilson, Nora Wilson, Mackenzie Wilson. And a few cousins, many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Memorial Donations can be made to the Alder Creek Pioneer Association, PO Box 116, Bickleton WA 99322 or any charitable organization of your choice.

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bickleton Evangelical Community Church in Bickleton, WA, with burial to follow at I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Bickleton, WA. Those wishing to sign Dick's online memorial guest book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com  Smith Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.   

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