Deano writes: Lionel Earle (Lou) Wilson was a man full of life and had the energy
of a 30 year old and played soccer all his life.
His Dad Nicholas Wilson
was one of the founders and first Captain of Cardiff City Football Club.
Dad had three loves in his life, his family, soccer and his beloved Karaoke
which he was out doing till the very end usually three times a week, he was
known as the "King of Karaoke" where he lived in Niagra Falls.
I think he
was the only publican in Wales who never had a drink! or smoked.
My beloved Mam passed away in 1992. I introduced Dad to Elaine and set up their first
date. They married in 1994. She is a lovely lady.
Dad left instructions he did not want a funeral. After the cremation I am
putting together a gathering "A celebration of Lou's life".
At
Christmas my Dad said "Thank you love for making a dream
come true, I have now sang on a huge stage in a beautiful big theatre". He
sang "The Wonder Of You" dressed as Elvis in my last Cinderella Panto at the
Sanderson, people loved him and he had a standing ovation.
Deano's eulogy
Thank you for coming today. Some of you gathered here are family & some long time friends & others new friends, our daddy would say "one is never too old to make new friends". Dad was not a religious man but, he always prayed for a good audience when he was singing.
Lionel Earle Wilson was a proud Welshman. He was born 1927 to a lower working class family in Cardiff South Wales. He was one of 10 children of Nicholas and Estelle Wilson. Daddy would often tell us of his recollections of his youth, especially in these last few years, How his mother every Friday made the 10 kids wash & scrub up clean while she prepared a stew every Friday for supper. Sometimes without meat! They’d all sit on the stone floor in the kitchen to await their dad’s return. they had one massive wooden table that their dad had made and 6 chairs. Father would come home around 8"oclock, this was the only day he'd make a quick stop at the local pub, Friday was pay day, he’d walk in and put his wages on the table and say "let’s eat”. They would eat supper & by 9 o'clock many neighbours would arrive as usual as their dad would jump up on the kitchen table with his clappers (bones) in hand and step dance the night away.
The Wilson family had three passions in life, family, music, & soccer not necessarily in that order! They were all fanatical for this sport of soccer. His father was the first captain of Cardiff city's first football club in 1909, all the Wilson family played this game including dad and his twin brother. When daddy was a young boy in school he met the vibrant & beautiful Gemma Maria Barry. Times were tough.. World War 2 1939 to 45. Our mam's dad was a prisoner of war & she with her mom helped take care of her 4 siblings including her Down syndrome brother Patrick, who now, is lovingly taken care of by my brother Barry. Fast forward...daddy and mammy married in 1948. dad worked hard all his life working two jobs so he could provide for his three children, Barry, Gerald (now deceased) and myself. Mam & dad were wonderful loving parents, & their kids always came first. Our most wonderful memories as children were our family holidays at Butlin's holiday camps, in the late 50's, millions of families enjoyed Butlin's. I have a program or two here today so take a peek. Every day they held competitions and the Wilson family were very luck....actually let's be honest we were bloody talented! Barry won the swimming competition, Gerald won the fancy dress (you must look at his photo) I won the talent, & Mammy won the bathing beauty and fashion competitions, & dad came through winning the knobbly knees competition. All winners received a free week's holiday for the following year, so needless to say we were at Butlin's for many years. My singing career took off around 1964. One of dad’s favourite records of mine was released in 1965 written for me about him it was called "Dear Daddy". It always brought tears to his eyes when it was played. About the same time my parents realised one of their ambitions to run a pub. They were now publicans. Our daddy was quite famous for being the only non drinking, non smoking publican in the UK. Mind you my mammy made up for him!.. I was having a ball through those years performing all over the UK & Europe. Mam or dad took turns travelling with me while one stayed home looking after my brothers.... Moving on to 1968 surprise.... surprise. I came home from a gig one night my mam is in the kitchen on her knees with the oven door open and her head is stuck in side. I say "what are you doing mammy?" she replies "I’m 41 & I’m pregnant. I’m ending it all...I said but mam, that's an electric oven? Oh she had a great sense of humour. Our youngest brother Bradley Earle Wilson was born in 1968. In 1972 the decision was made to emigrate to Canada. my mam's 2 brother's had emigrated to Canada in 1954 and they had regretted not coming then. Barry remained in Wales now married with a baby also Gerald. Mam, dad, myself & Bradley came to north bay to mammy's brothers. they became proud Canadian citizens. I married that same year 1972 and in 1978 my angel daughter was born, Gemma. My parents returned to Wales in 1982 due to failing health of mam's parents. our beloved mammy passed away 1992. that same year i divorced & dad returned to live with me in Canada. i continued to perform part-time & had a part time now being a single mum i decided i needed another job. dad was retired and now as he called it "looking after his little girl" i was 40 years old! At one time we were renting a house in Mississauga & i had a job singing with my friend Patti in Markham. I told daddy not to worry I would be late & if the snow storm hit i'd stay at Patti's house. well it snowed like crazy i called dad & left a message on the phone i would be home early in the morning. I arrived home at 10am, dad's at the door, mad as heck saying "where the hell have you been?" I called the police last night at 11.30 saying you were missing!" I replied what did they say dad? how old is your daughter Mr Wilson? he say's 41, they say 14? no she's 41!....that was it...i had to find him a woman!!!! I met Elaine in the retail business. i had worked with her for quite a few months, a lovely lady. i asked her what she was up to new years eve 1992? Elaine said she had plans with friends John & Mima to go to the Shakespeare pub in Guelph, I asked could my dad join them and Elaine said "oh I don't care" .... well I cared.
It took me weeks to talk dad into going but Elaine & dad had their first get together. when i asked him how the date went he replied lovely lady...but she drinks beer!. i say for Pete's sake. Elaine's mom passed away August 93 & dad attended the funeral & Elaine said he was a so compassionate and a great comfort. I also met the love of my life in 93 victor rouse. April 94 dad & Elaine tell us they are off for a cruise to the Caribbean.... a week later the two youngsters return,.. those crafty love birds eloped!....how wonderfully romantic is that; they were now Mr & Mrs Wilson.
Dad loved to sing but he only found the courage in his late 60's to actually get up on a stage, on their cruise he entered a karaoke competition he sang "the wonder of you" to his Elaine. and received standing ovations and took 1st prize. since that day he has karaokied himself silly, he was known far and wide as the "king of karaoke" his other signature song was "sold" at the grand county auction. this song of Lou's so inspired Elaine she would often take to the dance floor alone and dance up a storm and steal some of his thunder, which he loved. They lived two years in Guelph close to elaine,s 2 daughters Judy, Donna & son Alan & 4 grandchildren & then 12 years in Niagara falls. we have two other family members here, one of my mam"s brothers (now deceased) john Barry, his daughters Terri & Janice.
Lou Wilson was a man who was as honest as the day was long, kind, giving, loved to tell jokes, and sang from morning till night. like us all he had his quirks, he could be a stubborn old fart, but he was a great father, husband, the best whoop-de-do papa ever, this man had more vibrancy & energy...it was amazing, so in closing could we please give our dad his last good round of applause.
Lou has left the building.
We love you daddy
