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Whitelaw Wilson

Whitelaw “Whitey” Wilson, born May 3, 1933, of Chester, died on Nov. 21, 2023, after complications from a fall. He is survived by his wife of 46 happy years, Margaret “Peggy” Whitey. He is also survived by his two children, Robert Whitelaw Wilson II of Amherst, Massachusetts, and Forrest Rexford Wilson and his wife Bryn of Mooresville, North Carolina, and three grandchildren, Taylor, Reese, and Grady Wilson.

Whitey was the second son of Bill and Louise Wilson of Amherst, Massachusetts. He was one of four children, also including the late Rexford Wilson of Searsmont, Maine, Lucy Wilson Strausbaugh of Greenville, South Carolina, and Gray Westgate Wilson of Tacoma, Washington. Whitey attended Deerfield Academy and Westtown Friends School before entering Syracuse University in 1952. Upon graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and placed in Lompoc, California, for his service.

Whitey then undertook advanced study at Smith College and Harvard University, ultimately earning his MSW at Syracuse University, where he specialized in adolescent crisis management and suicide studies. Whitey’s career was always focused around students. He served in admissions, student services, dean’s staff, and as assistant professor of social services at Westtown School, Coe, and Hampshire Colleges, and Syracuse and Wesleyan Universities. In 1975, he joined Father Kenneth MacDonald and the staff at Mt. St. John in Deep River, a school for troubled adolescents, as director of treatment services. He served there continuously for 21 years until retirement in 1996.

He then became the national trainer for the New York City Council on Accreditation, training executives of nonprofit agencies in over 40 cities. Throughout his career, Whitey taught courses to local teachers, dorm advisors, and college faculty on addressing life-threatening behavior from students. Whitey finished his career with his youngest charges, serving for six years as a substitute teacher in Chester Elementary School.

Even in his 20s, Whitey knew he did not want to have regrets when he was in his 80s, so he tried numerous adventures. Throughout his life, he became an EMT, a fireman, a pilot who flew to every coast, an avid sailor, a runner for 20 years, a Red Cross instructor, and an amateur musician with the Old Lyme Town Band. Whitey was also a passionate motorcyclist. He was a National Motorcycle safety instructor who taught the first All-Women’s Motorcycle Safety course in Connecticut, as well as the national safety director for Honda Sport Touring. As testament to his wide range of interests and areas of expertise and now part of his legacy, Whitey has more than 35 articles of academic and personal interest that have been published in a variety of media.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.