George Nelson Wilson III

George Nelson Wilson III, aged 91, passed away on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, in Farmville, Virginia. He was born on October 15, 1933 in Charleston, West Virginia, to Mary Katherine Trimble Wilson and George Nelson Wilson Jr. He had one younger sister, Elizabeth Ann Wilson, who preceded him in death. He has resided for the last six years at the Woodland, Farmville, Virginia. George graduated from Charleston High School, spending his summers with his maternal grandmother in Monterey, Virginia, and working with his father to build a Christmas tree farm on the family’s property on Ware’s Ridge in Randolph County, West Virginia. He also taught himself to be a master woodworker/cabinet maker, creating beautiful furniture and cabinets throughout his life that still grace his family’s homes. Mr. Wilson carried his love of wood to West Virginia University, where he studied Wood Technology and became a forester, spending his summers cruising timber. While at WVU, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. While serving in the Navy as a navigator on long haul reconnaissance flights out of Argentia Newfoundland, George met Martha Almeta Chesnut, a beautiful redhead from Bradenton, Florida, who was teaching in Newfoundland. After convincing her to marry him, George retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant and they returned to West Virginia, where he returned to the forest industry, managing a lumber mill in Dailey West Virginia. He would ultimately purchase a small ownership interest in that mill, which mill was later purchased by Coastal Lumber Company. George would eventually become Vice President of Operations for Coastal Lumber Company as well as president of Caro Craft Furniture Company (who used some of his furniture designs for many years). After retiring from Coastal, he purchased Buffalo Shook Company, Inc. in 1982 and they moved to Farmville, Virginia. Throughout his career he was active in his industry as President of the West Virginia Forest Association, and the Virginia Wood Products Association. He was also active in his community, serving as president of the Farmville Rotary Club and on the boards of Davis Memorial Hospital in Elkins, West Virginia and First National/First Virginia Bank in Farmville. He was an ordained Deacon and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was a lifelong Mason, a member of the Elkins Masonic Lodge, Pilgrim Commandry 21 ACCA Temple and the Southside Shriner’s Club. George’s beloved wife of 57 years, Martha, preceded him in death in 2015, but he is survived by a daughter and a son and their families. George’s daughter is Elizabeth Wilson Smith, and her husband, John Marshall Smith, Junior, of Farmville, Virginia, and their daughters, Mary Katherine Smith of Warrenton, Virginia, and Hannah Wilson Smith, of Roanoke, Virginia. Also left to treasure his memory, his son, George Nelson Wilson IV, and wife, Terri Atkins Wilson, of Farmville, Virginia, along with their four children, to include a daughter, Victoria Wilson Najjar, her husband, Dilan and their daughter, Artemis Gayle Najjar of Staunton, Virginia; a son, Zachary Atkins Wilson, of Farmville, Virginia; a son, Nicholas Hart Wilson, and his wife, Elaine Marie Wilson, of Chesterfield, Virginia; and a daughter. Savannah Elizabeth Wilson, of Farmville, Virginia. A funeral service will be held at Puckett Funeral Home, 115 Covington Court, in Farmville, Virginia at 2:00 p.m., Sunday December 8, 2024, with visitation the hour preceding, at 1:00 p.m., and graveside service to follow at Westview Cemetery, Farmville, Virginia.  Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 2412, Staunton, VA 24401. Puckett Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.puckettfh.com.