By Tracy Gupton

He was born in the middle of World War II in a small home in the old oil fields near West Columbia. He was a proud 1961 graduate of West Columbia High School. And he always took great pride in being one of the 2.7 million American service members who put his life on the line during the Vietnam War.

So, it is with great honor and respect that I put these few words down about the life of Fred Wilson as his family and many friends who loved him reflect on his many accomplishments a decade after his passing. The former West Columbia city councilman, businessman, attorney and lover of life died at 71 on April 11, 2015. Adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer took the life of the local community leader, beloved husband, father of two doted on daughters, and good friend to many West Columbians.

Brazoria County Commissioners Court declared today, March 29, 2025, as Vietnam War Veterans Day in Brazoria County. “This day is dedicated to the brave men and women who served during the Vietnam War,” Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta read in making the declaration earlier this week. “We honor the courage, service, and legacy of those who fought in this pivotal conflict. Thank you to all of our Vietnam Veterans.”

Fred’s widow, Becky Damuth Wilson, said she doesn’t want the residents of West Columbia to forget the many things her late husband did for the city. As the 82nd anniversary of Freddie’s birth approaches, Becky laments the fact that her husband never got to see his grandchildren Eric Scroggins, now three, and Colson (4) and Casey (2) Garner, and the many changes that have occurred in his family and his hometown since he left us in 2015. “The pocket park between Chesney’s Jewelry and the museum was pretty much Fred’s idea,” said Becky Wilson as she showed me photos of former West Columbia Mayor Mickey Brooks standing beside Fred in the area where the town’s pocket park is now located. Becky said Fred would be so very impressed if he could see what the City of West Columbia has done with the pocket park in recent years.

She said Fred Wilson played an integral role in getting West Columbia to bring back the annual celebration of San Jacinto Day weekend. The 2025 San Jacinto Day festivities will occur in late April. Becky said Fred always looked forward to participating in his home town’s yearly recognition of San Jacinto Day honoring the memory of valiant Texas soldiers winning the Republic of Texas’s independence from Mexican rule in late April of 1836.

Fred Wilson was a multi-term councilman in the 1970s and early 1980s when the late Mickey Brooks was West Columbia’s mayor. It was during this era when Fred and Becky owned Wilson’s Emporium selling hardware and oil field items. Becky showed photos from her prized picture book of Wilson’s Emporium at its original location on East Brazos Avenue where S.S. Weems Hardware store had been located (in the area where the Walgreens and nail salon parking lot is now). The Wilsons’ business later relocated to the old Brockman’s building further down East Brazos Avenue. When Fred secured his law degree, he and Becky turned Wilson’s Emporium into Fred E. Wilson’s Law Office. Black Fairy Meadery was the most recent business to occupy that building in downtown West Columbia.

“At the age of 39, Fred decided to make a career change,” Becky Wilson wrote for her husband’s obituary. “He enrolled in the University of Houston-Clear Lake and received his long-sought Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Legal Studies/American Jurisprudence” in December of 1984. After graduating from West Columbia High School with the Class of 1961, Fred attended Wharton County Junior College until 1963 when he transferred to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville from 1963 to 1965. His four-year stint in the Air Force from 1966 to 1969 interrupted Fred’s advanced education.

“In January 1985 he was accepted to South Texas College of Law,” Becky Wilson said. “He received his Juris Doctorate Degree in December of 1987. In June of 1988 he was admitted to the State Bar of Texas and began his law practice of 27 years.

“He was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas,” his wife went on to say about Fred’s career as an attorney.

Of his civic involvement, Becky Wilson said that Fred “served his community by being involved in various civic organizations throughout the years. He was a member and served as a director of the West Columbia Chamber of Commerce, a member and director of the West Columbia Rotary Club, served the City of West Columbia as a city council member, and was a member and Past President of the West Columbia San Jacinto Festival.” Becky said Fred Wlson was also a life member of the VFW Post 8551, member of the American Legion and served on the Wharton County Junior College Alumni Scholarship Committee.

Freddie Wilson was serving with Det. 9, 30th Weather Squadron in DaNang in 1967 when he was decorated with the MAC Pride Bronze Certificate and pin in recognition of “his noteworthy application of PRIDE concepts and objectives.” In receiving this honor, the West Columbian was declared “Airman of the Quarter” for the fourth quarter of 1967.

“Fred served his country by completing two tours of active duty in Vietnam as a Weather Observer Specialist from May 1967 through December 1968 with most of his time spent supporting the 3rd Marine Division and Allied Forces in I Corps at DaNang and DongHa Air Force Bases along the DMZ during the height of the war,” Becky Wilson wrote in her husband’s obituary 10 years ago. “He earned the rank of Sergeant and received an honorable discharge in 1969 after receiving various military honors and awards such as the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with a bronze star, Vietnam Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, Williams Award for best weather unit in Air Weather Service in 1968, Airman of the Quarter and Airman of the Week honors at various locations.”

Becky Wilson said that Fred returned to Brazoria County in 1969 after completing his military service and worked for several different area companies. He eventually accepted a management position with the Brockman’s clothing store in West Columbia, working in the same building his Wilson’s Emporium would later occupy.

Fred was the youngest son of William Monroe and Zelma Condra Wilson. He was born May 20, 1943, “in the front bedroom under the shade of a cedar tree in a small three-room house in the Texas Company Oil Field Camp just north of West Columbia,” Becky wrote in Fred’s 2015 obituary. “He attended West Columbia schools, was a member of the West Columbia Roughneck Band and graduated with the class of 1961.” He always looked forward to class reunions and reconnecting with Class of 1961 fellow graduates.

When Fred E. Wilson finally succumbed to cancer 10 years ago, he left behind not only his devoted wife Becky but their two daughters, Condra Sherrill Wilson Garner and Ashley Faye Wilson Scroggins and sons-in-law Matthew Cody Scroggins and Colby Garner, and his two “comfort cats,” J.D. and Reesie, plus a host of nephews, nieces and many relatives and good friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, older brothers Hubert Monroe Wilson and Marcus William Wilson and sister, Wilma Irene Williams.

At his funeral at the First Baptist Church in West Columbia, a poem by Becky’s late mother, Faye Opal Damuth, was included in Fred’s funeral handout, which included the passage: “When you are tired, discouraged and blue, there’s always one door that is open to you. And that is the door to ‘The House of Prayer,’ and you’ll find God waiting to meet you there, and ‘The House of Prayer’ is no further away than the quiet spot where you kneel to pray. For the heart is a temple when God is there as we place ourselves in His loving care.” Rest easy old friend. Ten years after you “closed your eyes and opened your heart and felt your worries and cares depart … Just yield yourself to the Father above and let Him hold you secure in His love.”

We miss you Freddie!