John W. Wildman passed peacefully on August 28, 2024. Born on August 17, 1932 to Richard and Dorothy Wildman, he is preceded by his parents and brothers Doyle and Don. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 73 years Joyce Ann (Miller) Wildman; daughters Marsha (Glenn) Wilson and Michelle Wildman; son John Mark Wildman; two grandchildren Blaine (Melissa) Pless and Elizabeth (Cole) Hentschel; four great grandchildren William, Miller and Maxwell Hentschel, and Eleanor Pless. He is also survived by a sister Mary (Wildman) Taylor and numerous nieces and nephews.
John was born and grew up on a farm in Washington, Indiana. He graduated from high school in 1950 and started his career with the B&O Railroad. He became manager of U.S. Railway (Evans Railcar) and opened a new plant in Kansas in 1975 before moving back to Washington. He, along with his wife, moved to Texas in 1985 to accept a management position with Trinity Industries, and retired in 1995 from a private railroad company located in Angleton, Texas.
John was a serious bowler for many years, with a high score of 289. He became an avid golfer after moving to Texas, scored five holes-in-one, and became a lifelong member of The Countrymen of Country Place Golf Club. He was baptized into the Catholic Church at age 69 and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. John’s greatest joys in life were golf, talking politics, and – above all – his family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Michael J. Fox Foundation or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
