Tributes have been paid following the death of a popular local Methodist minister following his death two weeks prior to his 98th birthday.

Rev. John James Wilson (97) – a resident of Graan Abbey Care Home, and formerly Irvinestown Fold – died on August 23.

His funeral took place last Wednesday, August 31. A bachelor, Rev. Wilson’s eulogy was delivered by his friend, Rev. Ken Robinson.

Eulogy

In his eulogy, Rev. Robinson said: “John James Wilson was a special man. We all have wonderful memories of him. He was a wonderful character. In many ways, he was unique, and life will be the poorer without the likes of John.”

The late Rev. Wilson was born in September, 1924, to John James and Jane Wilson, and they lived at Tedeehan, Ballinagh in Co. Cavan, where he had two brothers, Edward and Walter.

Rev. Robinson said: “When John died, he was just two weeks short of his 98th birthday. The Rev. Bob Bagnall died on July 31, so on that day, John became the longest-serving member of Conference [the governing body of the Methodist Church] having entered Edgehill College in 1950, and was what we call the Father of the Conference for all of 23 days.”

Rev. Wilson’s ministry took him across all of the island of Ireland. Detailing where he had served, Rev. Robinson said: “He served in Newcastle as an evangelist, and then in Maguiresbridge as a pre collegiate probationer in 1948.

“After Edgehill college, he was stationed on the Londonderry City Mission and Limavady, Kilkenny and Carlow, Pettigo, Sligo, Mountpottinger, Maryborough and Portarlington, Castlederg, Fintona, Bailieborough, Donegal, Clonakilty, and Springfield and Churchill.

“Even in retirement, he continued to minister in Irvinestown until age took its toll. Yet he continued to attend church, Circuit Quarterly Meetings, and to support the work of God through his prayers and giving.”

Emphasising Rev. Wilson’s dedication to his faith and God, Rev. Robinson said: “John was an old-time Methodist. By that, I mean he offered himself totally and completely to God and to the service of his congregations.

“He was prepared to pay the price of being a follower of Jesus, and he took the words of John Wesley seriously – the founder of Methodism had said that ‘We were to earn all we could, save all we could and give all we could’, and John practiced that.”

Strong interest

In addition to his ministry, Rev. Wilson had a strong interest in the Orange Order. Rev. Robinson said: “He affiliated himself to any lodge adjacent to where he was stationed, so in his appointments in Northern Ireland, and in Donegal and Cavan, he participated in Orange marches, Orange meetings and the promotion of Orangeism.

“He was a member of the John Wesley Memorial Lodge, and spearheaded the work of Junior Orangeism in Tyrone and Fermanagh, rising to become the Grand Chaplain of the Junior Orange Lodge.”

Paying tribute to all of those who cared for his friend, Rev. Robinson said: “We are so grateful to the staff at the Grann nursing home where John lived for the last few years. He revelled in your care.”

Funeral arrangements were carried out by W. T. Morrison Funeral Directors. Rev. John James Wilson’s funeral took place in Irvinestown Methodist Church and the burial was in the family plot in Ballintemple Parish Graveyard, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan.