Last night I went to the wake for Mr. Harold Wilsey. His passing was a very sad event. The loss of a loved one is tough, as the Wilsey family knows all too well. Losing their family patriarch I am sure is very difficult. My heart goes out to them. For us, the loss of this community leader is also very tough to bear.
I don’t have to say this because it is so well known, but Mr. Wilsey was one of the pillars of our town. Not just an active community member or business owner, but the one of the people who are the explicit reason Saugerties is so great.
Besides raising a wonderful large family with his wife Peg, he was involved in everything – sports, politics, charity – just too much to be mentioned. His involvement moved us a step or three ahead, helping shape the beautiful town we all enjoy now.
It was all done with astounding consistency. He and his family have been the “rocks” of Saugerties for decades.
One time I got a “great idea” to offer a loan closet for medical equipment. I knew the Wilsey family did this but I did not understand the extent. Jack, Mr. Wilsey’s son, told me that the service of loaning hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs, and more to members of the Saugerties community was done for over 50 years. I did some quick math… that’s longer than my parents have been alive!
It showed me what commitment Mr. Wilsey and his family had made to this community. They make no money from this service; I’d wager it probably cost them money at times. They cared for people, not just in death, but in life when needed most. They’ve been doing it forever and probably will be doing it forever.
And this was just one small thing. His obituary gives a glance into his history and just how instrumental he was in helping Saugerties. “Involved”, perhaps, isn’t the right word… “Immersed” is probably better suited for Mr. Wilsey.
It should have not been a surprise for me, then, to see all of Saugerties in line to pay their respect to him and his family. Two hour viewings turned into 3 or 4 hours each. His son Mark said it best, “It’s amazing when you drop a pebble in a pond to see the reach of the ripples.”
My fellow village merchants take note: if you are ever stressed, frustrated, unsure of the direction you want to go in life, or confused on what impact you can make, look to Mr. Wilsey and his family as evidence of all that can be done.
I write this out of sheer admiration and thanks. Thank you, Mr. Wilsey, for all you have given us. Thank you, for being one of the families our town can turn to when we need it most. Thank you, for showing young community members like myself the impact we can make with a little time and a lot of love.
P.S. As I went to copy Mr. Wilsey’s picture from his listing, I noticed the image was called “grampy”. Keep your head up Wilsey family!
