Jeffrey Wilson

Jeff R Wilson was born in Reno, Nevada on October 12th 1949. He was the second of four children born to William R Wilson and Gene D Wilson. He is preceded in death by both of his parents and step-father Donald Pattison, and survived by brothers William and Robert Wilson, and sister Jeana Burton, as well as by his wife, Lupe, and three children, Bryna (husband Nick) Morrow, and Brady and Barrett (wife Ruth) Wilson. He delighted probably more than anything else in his deep affection for his children and grandchildren (Saylor and Arlee Morrow), and his wife Lupe. But he also enjoyed many other activities, such as berating referees in his son's soccer matches and in his late-found love of Lobo basketball (thanks to his younger brother).

In his childhood, the family moved from Reno to New Mexico where Jeff attended schools in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. He loved sports and lettered in the three major ones at Del Norte High School in Albuquerque. After graduation, he attended and graduated from New Mexico State University where he became an avid and lifelong golfer, later winning many tournaments. As student body president, he was able to use University funds to enhance the party lives of other students!

Then came the big change. A minister with Campus Crusade for Christ, a student ministry at NMSU, shared with Jeff how Christianity was not just a religion, but a relationship with Jesus Christ, a real living Person, the eternal Son of the real living God. Jeff received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and his life was dramatically and immediately changed. He began helping other students including his older brother to come to know Jesus Christ as well.

After graduation, Jeff joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and worked for several years as a staff member with that organization, along with Debbie, his first wife and devoted mother of their children. He discipled many students during that time in California, Arizona, and at New Mexico State University. One recently said, "Jeff was the Apostle Paul of my life."

After several years with Campus Crusade, Jeff transitioned to the business world and became a Financial Advisor. His influencer personality and his discipline to, as he put it, "just pick up the phone and start talking to people", helped him develop a successful business through the years. He faced a number of hardships along the way, but through prayer, faith and perseverance ended his career at the top of his financial pursuits.

One of his early personal challenges was in the early 90's when he faced the onset of a life-threatening condition, Polychondritis. Through a combination of excellent medical care (and advice from his brother, Dr. Bob) and a miraculous intervention, Jeff was delivered from the disease rather dramatically and suddenly, never again experiencing symptoms from it. His answered prayer was that he would be able to see his beloved children grow up and start families of their own.

In early 2022, Jeff began facing another health challenge as he began losing strength in his muscles. He was ultimately diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). He continued to exercise all the more faithfully, going to the gym and taking long walks with Lupe. He kept a positive attitude, never complained, and persevered in faith to the end of his life on earth in the early morning of April 2, 2025, passing peacefully in his sleep at their home in Albuquerque, NM