Mervin Wilson
World War II
Mervin Wilson was the son of Everid (sometimes transcribed incorrectly in censuses as Edward) and Martha Wilson and was a New Year’s baby in 1910. He had a brother, Merle, who was about a year older, and interestingly, became an FBI fingerprint expert!
Mervin was born and raised in Creighton. I’m not sure what his father had as an occupation in 1910, but in 1920 when Mervin was 9 years old, the family was living in the Creighton area with Louis Jensen. His father was a hired man and his mother was the cook. Then in 1930, his father worked as an insurance agent in Creighton.
By that time, Mervin had graduated from Creighton High School. He later graduated from a barber training school in Omaha. Mervin married Genevieve Rosberg of Osmond in 1936 (although the centennial book says 1935).
Around 1937, the couple and their children, Barbara and Gary, moved to Osmond, where Mervin operated a barber shop for 25 years. His wife operated a beauty shop in an attached building.
Mervin served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, from Dec. 14, 1943, to Nov. 21, 1945, and according to the centennial book, was stationed at Pearl Harbor. According to his obituary, it says that during his training and service, he was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Schumacher Naval Base in California and at Ford Island in Hawaii.
According to his obituary, in 1960, Mervin discovered he was suffering from cancer of the larynx, and a subsequent operation left him speechless. Special schooling, initiative and perhaps fortune in the years to come enabled him to converse in a near-normal manner.
His development of this ability was considered by medical experts to be an outstanding achievement and he was an instructor in this technique for a time in Omaha and Lincoln medical institutions. An article in the Osmond Republican told of a new club being organized in Lincoln called the Cancer Victim Club, and it said that Merv Wilson was a star member of the club, helping other laryngectomies talk again, sing again and even whistle.
Merv stated, “Why, I hardly have to think about my new way of speech as I talk to you now.” Mervin was disabled after the surgery, and sold his barber shop in 1962.
Mervin was an avid baseball fan throughout his life and at one time coached midget baseball here, probably when his son was young.
On June 21, 1972, Mervin was killed instantly in a head-on collision with a semi-trailer truck just west of South Sioux City. Services were conducted at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and American Legion Post 326 attended in a group and had charge of graveside rites at the parish cemetery.
Thank you to Tom Roth, son of Barb (Wilson) Roth, for providing the picture of Mervin Wilson.
