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Last week friends and loved ones remembered a man who gave his all to a lifetime of diverse pursuits: professional, personal and spiritual. Wilcox, they said, was a walking advertisement for lifelong learning and personal development.

Along with his wife Kay and infant daughter, the Lansing native moved to Chesaning as a young man when the Forestry Division of the Conservation Department asked him to take an officer position there. He was a veteran of the Coast Guard and earned a forestry degree from Michigan State University.

Over the years he also worked as a salesman for elevator and silo equipment, as an engineer at Century Telephone and as a designer for Woodbury Sheet Metal. He served as the Chesaning Township Police Chief for 13 years before retiring from that post in 1984.

Despite the demands of a young family and career, Wilcox always made time for his community. He was a member of the Showboat stage crew and eventually served as a Showboat Committee chairman. The Chesaning Board of Education, Chesaning Boy Scouts, Chesaning Area Historical Society, Trinity United Methodist Church and the Chesaning United Appeal also benefited from his belief in serving others.

Chris Mishler said her father was proud of his tenure as president of the Chesaning Board of Education in 1955 and 1956, as the district faced one of its biggest challenges in history: the consolidation of country schools into the system.

He liked to tell stories of his visits to coffee klatches with the district superintendent, as the duo presented the idea to often skeptical rural residents. The consolidation effort was successful and resulted in the construction of Chesaning High School in 1959.

As his professional endeavors flourished, so did his personal interests. He earned his commercial pilot's license and was a skilled boatsman. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking, oil painting and playing the piano.

A talented photographer with a passion for landscape scenes, Wilcox delighted in sharing his work with loved ones and the community. Thirty of his prints on display at Memorial Healthcare Center in Owosso.

He would go out of his way to share his many talents with friends in need, said longtime friend Lori LaRue. He was a loyal supporter of the Rehmann Health Center and even a few days before he passed away he inquired about the status of the Chesaning Area United Appeal fundraising drive.

"He had a very generous heart and was the first one to help out," she said. "He could do everything from installing a ceiling fan to getting you through a computer problem. He was a special man."

His pastor, Rev. Dr. Sherry Parker said Wilcox lived life to the fullest and never stopped learning. He was a senior citizen when the technology age bloomed, but unlike many of his generation, he welcomed the challenge. He could send emails, work a spreadsheet, fax and scan with the best of them, she said.

"Wendy was adventurous and curious. He and Kay have been in an afternoon Bible study over these last years. I was never surprised when Wendy said, "Now hold on, I have a question." He was caring, kind and concerned about other people. He had a sense of humor and enjoyed the opportunity to laugh with friends. Wendy loved life and he lived it fully," Parker said.

The Lansing native met Kay during an assignment in her hometown of Brimley in the Upper Peninsula. He was tasked with stringing telephone lines along the coast of Lake Superior and she was a young telephone operator. They celebrated 62 years of marriage last June.

Mishler said her family will treasure the memories of her father's adventures and the role he played in the community and at home.

"He gave us the kind of childhood every child should have. He was a wonderful father," she said.

In addition to Kay, those to left to mourn him include two daughters, Darlene (Dennis) Wasielewski of Land O Lakes, Wisc., and Chris (Jim) Mishler of Chesaning; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and numerous other family members and friends.

Funeral arrangements were held on Thursday, April 12 at Trinity United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to Chesaning Area United Appeal or Trinity United Methodist Church.