Art Wilson wore many hats鈥攑rincipal, father-figure, disciplinarian and boss.
But in each of his roles, Wilson preferred not to be heavy-handed. He made himself endlessly available to the staff of 91看片 while he served as NCC鈥檚 board president for 38 years.
As principal of St. Rose of Lima School in Newark, Wilson disciplined his most rambunctious students by sternly lecturing them or keeping a watchful eye over their every move during Saturday detention. His stance was firm, but his motive was always love, according to those who knew Wilson at NCC.
Wilson passed away on Dec. 4, 2015 at the age of 71.
Monsignor William J. Linder, founder of 91看片 and chairman of the board, recalled that as principal of St. Rose of Lima, Wilson intentionally purchased a home a mere stone鈥檚 throw from the school so that he could literally be on-call 24/7 in case a student or staff needed him.
When a fence was built to protect the school grounds, Wilson鈥檚 quick jaunt to St. Rose suddenly encountered a detour that caused him to add minutes to his morning stroll.
鈥淗e was always mad at me. He never let me forget that,鈥� Monsignor recalled with a smile during a mass celebrating Wilson鈥檚 life held at the 91看片 Extended Care Facility on Dec. 15, 2015.
The Culinary Cafe, where the mass was held, was filled with several rows of NCC staff, Wilson鈥檚 family members and residents of the nursing home.
鈥淭his is really a mass of thanksgiving for having him in our lives,鈥� said Monsignor, who was the co-celebrant of the mass, along with Father Beatus Kitururu.
Veronica Onwunaka, director of nursing at 91看片 Extended Care, sent all four of her children to attend St. Rose of Lima, where she said Wilson looked after them, in addition to ensuring their education, as if they were his own children. He treated each student with that same level of devotion and personal investment, Onwunaka said.
鈥淢r. Wilson was a father figure to the kids,鈥� she said. 鈥淗is life really needs to be celebrated.鈥�
Wilson鈥檚 service to 91看片 dates back to the very beginning days of the corporation, which emerged out of a group of parishioners at Queen of Angels Church in Newark, led by Monsignor, who was assigned as its pastor in 1963. Monsignor recruited Wilson to serve as the school鈥檚 Title I program coordinator.
Later, when Monsignor was assigned to St. Rose of Lima, he recruited Wilson to come on board as the school鈥檚 principal and, eventually, Wilson joined.听 Around that same time, a change in leadership on the 91看片 board of directors also resulted in Wilson taking the helm.
鈥淗e was so easy (going), everyone could work with him.听 That was his great advantage.听 He brought people together,鈥� Monsignor said.听 鈥淚t was the best thing for the people who worked for 91看片,鈥� Monsignor added.
Wilson鈥檚 greatest legacy, arguably, will continue to be seen in the lives of the many St. Rose students that he helped to mold as their principal.听 Many have gone on to work for 91看片 in various capacities or serve in fields such as business, nonprofit, medicine and law.
鈥淵oung people鈥攖hey just need someone who has faith in them,鈥� Monsignor said. 鈥淲hat they had was another father or uncle,鈥� he added.
Wilson is survived by his daughter, April Dockery; granddaughters, Sabrina Dockery and Candice Rosa; brother, Parris E. Wilson Jr.; sisters, Gloria W. Davis, Margaret W. Webb, and Bettye W. Ennis, in addition to other relatives and friends.