Raymond W. Wilson of Saint John passed away on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Ray was born at Spanish Ship Bay, Nova Scotia on March 19, 1922, the eldest son of the late Robert Douglas and Alberta Jane (Pye) Wilson. He was a long time resident of Liscomb and Halifax in Nova Scotia, Ottawa, Ontario, and Saint John, New Brunswick.

Ray served for five years during World War II with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals as part of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division in England and Italy. He was active in the field of radio since 1937, both as a hobby and occupation. He was an avid amateur radio operator and amateur photographer for over 70 years, a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association, the Masonic Order for over 60 years, and was an active member of the Lancaster Golden Service Club of Saint John.

Ray graduated from Dalhousie University in 1950 and was a Professional Engineer with Maritime Tel and Tel, the Canadian Telecommunications Carriers Association, the Trans Canada Telephone System, and the Federal Department of Communications in Halifax, Moncton and Ottawa. He was a member of the Institute of Radio Engineers and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. He was well known in the telecommunications industry across Canada from the early 1950´s until his retirement in 1986.

Ray is survived by his second wife, Stephani (Stevie) (Piekarski) of Saint John; a son, David Wilson (Ann Ross) of Fredericton; a daughter, Nancy Simpson (Greg) of Ottawa; grandchildren Mary Justason (Greg), Rob Wilson, Sarah Simpson, and Lisa Simpson; a great granddaughter, Elizabeth Justason; a niece, Deborah of Toronto; the extended family of Piekarski´s, including step-sons Dr. Jeff (Lise) of Saint John and Scott (Sandra) of Rothesay; step-grandchildren Tasha, Lia, Sidney, and Samantha. Ray will be fondly remembered by friends and acquaintances in the Maritimes and Ontario.

Ray was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret (MacKeen) of Sherbrooke, NS; and by a brother, Robert Wilson.

 

A message from John Gilbert, VE3CXL, on 30 March 2010:

 

Sad news. I worked with Ray in the DOC and we became good friends. In fact, in 1976 he was directly responsible for my getting back into ham radio. He sold me a Kenwood TS520 - the best rig I ever had - and Ray and I put up the antennas in my back yard that I used for several years. My wife, son Michael and I would visit with Ray and Marg and always come away with new ideas and new enthusiasms. He and Michael would talk about photography, another of Ray's many skills.

Ray worked on the microwave networks in the Maritime provinces, and he was particularly proud of the emergency installation that he put in place following the great storm of January 6, 1956. The story is written up in "Voices of the Island: History of the Telephone on Prince Edward Island", by Walter C. Auld, Nimbus, 1985. The chapter in this History says that "The great storm was the worst in telephone history".

We have lost a true friend.

Regards
John Gilbert
VE3CXL