Lifetime Chandler resident Les Wilson went to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 29, 2024. He went peacefully at the Prague Nursing Home. His wife and son, Lila and Tony, had been visiting with him Saturday evening and watched an OU Sooners victory together. Les’ service will me Monday, October 7 at the First Baptist Church in Chandler. If you will not be able to make it, there will be a live stream at FirstbaptistChandler. org. Rev. Dale Carney, Rev. Time Walterbach and Rev. Mike Hazelwood will be officiating the service, with interment following at Oak Park Cemetery. Services will be conducted by Lehman Funeral Home.
Leslie Earl, twin brother of Lois Pearl, was born to Ray O. and Matilda (Fair) Wilson on Friday the 13 in 1948. Les faced difficulty from birth not breathing, his grandma Fair took him and rolled him in the snow and that’s what started him breathing. That’s how the legend goes anyway.
Les graduated eighth grade from Springdale Country School near Midlothian and made his way to the big town of Chandler where he was a 1966 CHS grad. Prior to graduating in May, Les joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard 160th FieldArtillery in Chandler in January of 1966. He served many capacities in his 26-year career while in the guard with his last rank of E-7 Sgt 1st Class. He was a Forward Observer for the Artillery Unit.
In June, of 1970, He wed a Sparks Bobcat named Lila Lou Walters in Chandler. Les and Lila made their new home in Chandler. On February 1, 1971, a son, Mark Leslie Wilson was born into the union. Unfortunately, Mark passed away at 10 hours old on the day of his birth. A year and eight days later on February 9, 1972, their son Tony Earl was born.
Throughout his life, Les was a construction worker for a number of jobs including a sewar treatment facility in Jones, Quail Springs Mall and also on Park Road School in Chandler. At the time of his passing, he was owner/operator of LesWilson Fence Company. Les was given a third lease on life on November 23, 1993, when a static arrester failed on a gas pump hose and he was burned on 47% of his body. He spent 28 days in the Baptist Burn Center where he underwent eight skin graft surgeries. Each day was a gift. Only the quick actions of the store clerk saved him by hitting the emergency shut off button.
Les was an avid bass fisherman and also played a ton of softball games with his brothers and a lot of local friends. He also loved the St. Louis Cardinals in baseball and the Arizona Cardinals in Football.
Les was the guy that would give you the shirt off of his back and never met anyone that he didn’t like. If you called, he was there for assistance if it was a ride or putting up fence at Mark Howard Park or sand in the long jump pit at the track field. He attended the Sparks Baptist Church.
Les is preceded in death by his son, Mark Leslie; parents, Ray and Matildia Wilson; brothers, Cecil, Wayne, Jerald and sisters, Janice and Wynema (Sue). He is survived by his wife, Lila of 54 plus years of the home; son, Tony of the home and Polly Wilson Cat; brother and sisters-in-law, Wendell and Jaylene of Chandler, Charles and Kate of Chandler, Harold (Butch) and Vicki of Chandler, brother, Phillip (Dink) of Chandler and Ron ofTahlequah; sisters and brothersin- law, Morene and Keith Tipton of Chandler and Twin sister Lois and David Cox of Prague, Bonnie and Doug Clagg of Chandler. Les also had a number of nieces and nephews and when I say a number, I mean a number we couldn’t calculate. Somewhere near 40. We would also like to give a special thank you to Luminos Hospice, Prague Nursing Center, Jamie Murfin, Melissa Jackson and Jessica Wade for all of your loving care for Les. We ask you do what Les would do, please make a donation to either: The Chosen House of Chandler, The Jeremiah House of Chandler or God and People’s Food Pantry of Chandler.