Joseph Lloyd Wilson

Joseph L. Wilson, 71, of Cedar Falls, died Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center.

Joe was born October 16, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Bernard and Frances Marousek Wilson; after his mother’s passing in 1952, he was adopted by Ethel Chittick Wilson at the age of five. He attended Atkinson High School in Nebraska. He graduated from Kemper Military School in 1966. He earned an AA degree from Kemper Military School & College in Boonville, Missouri in 1968. He then obtained his BA from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1970, MA from the University of Iowa in 1973, and EdD in 1985 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

He married Eileen DeWaard on December 29, 1969 at the Christian Reformed Church in Britt, IA. Joe and Eileen have two children and four grandchildren. Son, Scott (Jenny) Wilson of Spencer, IA, grandchildren Katy Wilson of Mason City, and Nathan Wilson of Clear Lake. Daughter, Sarah (Cory) Levendusky of Cedar Falls, IA, grandchildren Emily Levendusky of Waterloo, and Jonah Levendusky of Cedar Falls.

Joe leaves behind one brother, Ed Wilson of Lincoln, NE; and many brothers in-law and sisters in-law, nieces, nephews – all of which he loved dearly.

Joe was an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology, Allied Health and Human Services at the University of Northern Iowa for 32 years, retiring in 2017. Before UNI, he also taught four years at the University of South Alabama, and four years at Old Dominion University (Virginia). His students were an extension of his family. He was an active leader in the Therapeutic Recreation field.

In 1968, Joe volunteered at the first national Special Olympics event. This led to a lifetime of involvement with Special Olympics. In 1985 Joe and Eileen became the area directors for the Northeast Iowa Special Olympics; retiring in 2017. He pursed life by the Special Olympic oath “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let be brave in the attempt.”

Joe loved: traveling to see former students, traveling to new places, visiting with family and friends, meeting new people, watching sports, attending Chicago Cubs games, and anything Nebraska Cornhusker related.