Ermal Leroy Wilson, 97, of Marion, Indiana, was General Secretary of World Missions for the Pilgrim Holiness Church and the merged Wesleyan Church from 1958-1972.
Ermal Wilson is remembered with gratitude by The Wesleyan Church as a missionary statesman, a preacher of the gospel, and as a man of prayer and deep passion for Jesus Christ. All of his children followed him into the ministry and gave their lives to local church service in The Wesleyan Church.
Born in Epsom, Indiana, on March 3, 1917, to Charles I. and Alma (Tommy) Wilson, Ermal departed this life on April 28, 2014, in his home, surrounded by his loving family.
Ermal responded to the Lord Jesus at an early age, knowing that the Lord was calling him to preach. He held a revival meeting in the Jonesboro Pilgrim Holiness Church at sixteen years of age. He attended college in Owosso, Michigan, where he met his first wife, Madgel Marie. They went to Swaziland and South Africa for two missionary terms, and all of their children were born in Africa. They were invited to return to the U.S. in 1956 to serve as Assistant General Secretary of Foreign (World) Missions of the Pilgrim Holiness Church. After two years, he was elected General Secretary of Foreign (World) Missions of the Pilgrim Holiness Church, and served in that capacity for ten years, and in the merged Wesleyan Church for an additional four years.
After the decease of his first wife, Madgel, in 1967, Ermal married Gloria Lup in 1968. She was invaluable to Ermal in their service to the church. After completing decades in denominational service, Ermal once again took up local church ministry, including seven years in Flint, Michigan and also has served as an itinerant evangelist.
Ermal was the husband of Gloria; father of Rev. Paul David, (Laconda), of Redford, Michigan; Evangeline Marie (Rev. Jim) Lindner, of Jackson, Ohio; and Rev. Victor Charles (Sherry), of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was the brother of Vernal Moreillon, Thelma Arney, Jessie Preusz, Orville Wilson, and Eva Lucille Dean. All siblings preceded him in death. He was grandfather of nine, twenty-one great grandchildren, and five great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2-6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 204 at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, 400 E. Main Street, Gas City, Indiana, and one hour prior to the service at the church.
The Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5, 2014 at Westview Wesleyan Church, 1300 W. Sixth Street, Jonesboro, Indiana with Reverends Paul Wilson and Vic Wilson officiating. Burial will be at 3:00 p.m. at Greenlawn Cemetery, Frankfort Indiana.
For obituary and to share online condolences to family: http://www.nswcares.com/obituary/Ermal-Leroy-Wilson/Marion-IN/1377805
