Obituary of Bradley Wilson

Have you ever met a guy who . . . -Rescued a stranded couple, lost for six days, off a rock in the narrow Wynoochee River canyon in the Olympic National Forest, landing his helicopter where no one dared fly. -Was fond of creating nicknames for everyone -- his wife is Burrito, his father was Howard, one son is Scooter, his sister is Puker, his long-time fishing friends are Al Capone and Perry Mason, and he himself is labeled by everyone as Bardo. -Told his three-year old nephew to jump into a deep, wet, concrete floor not realizing he would comply. - Landed his helicopter on his parents’ front lawn when he was two hours late for a family dinner – changing his status from goat to hero. Bardo was a husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin, grandpa, and friend like no other. Everyone whose life he touched feels better for having known him and mourns a huge loss much too early. He learned a lot in the building trade from his dad, but mostly by osmosis. He also taught himself architectural skills, eventually designing and then building high-end homes throughout Mason County. He provided work for countless subcontractors and local building suppliers and made living more enjoyable for innumerable clients. Bradley George Wilson was born in Walla Walla on November 1, 1950 to Harold and Muriel (Napier) Wilson, but spent his entire life in Shelton. His father was a teacher in the local school system, a builder, and a real estate entrepreneur, his mother a home manager. He attended Shelton schools and graduated in 1969. Bardo is survived by his wife of 27 years (Marty), two brothers (Bruce and Brian), his sister (Brenda), seven children (Scott Wilson, Season Pascoe, Story Schankel, Stuart Wilson, Telissa Wilson, Salem Schankel, and Taft Wilson). He also leaves a passel of 13 grand-children. Most every success in life he attributed to an insatiable thirst for learning despite not having much formal post-secondary training. He was a quick study -- learning first to fly fixed-wing planes then helicopters. His exploits in the latter are legendary. He rescued hikers from remote parts of the Olympic National Park with gubernatorial commendations when others gave them up for lost, he walked away from a near-death helicopter crash which was later recounted in the book One Day: The Extraordinary Story of Ordinary 24 Hours in America by Gene Weingarten (see the chapter “4:25 PM, Matlock, Washington”), and even impersonated local law enforcement to enable he and Marty to land on the front lawn of Lake Quinault Lodge. He was a doer and a problem-solver supreme. Some remember the old adage, You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Brad always challenged that truth -- whether it was building on a site that was deemed unbuildable by everyone but him, or redesigning a Maine cabin from humble beginnings to a rustic but modern home, or helping a friend in need whose wife needed an ADA compliant bathroom in a matter of days with his crew for whom he donated their labors.​ One story exemplifies his problem-solving skills. One client had a high-bank wall that Brad engineered to protect the new house from storm runoff. Years later a huge storm caused a slide with mud crashing over the wall and that flowed into the garage. Brad carefully read the insurance policy and dealt with the insurance adjustor. He noticed a small tree in the middle of the rubble and said it was a force of nature that had caused the disaster. The “acts of nature” clause in the fine print required the insurance company to cover the damage costs. There was also a deeply imbued mischievousness to his personality. This was cemented during his high school days when he and his buddies temporarily appropriated a George Wallace for President sign in 1968 from a local roadway and somehow mounted it on the roof of the old Shelton High School gymnasium. He continued that even later in life when he always dressed in an elaborate costume for Halloween, with Big Bird being a family favorite. But his favorite times, next to watching his grandchildren at their activities, were fishing for salmon in his beloved Olympic Peninsula settings. He was the master of finding the best spots to land a king or steelhead – often navigating his helicopter in remote settings. One of his frequent companions on these trips, Al Capone, tells the story of an early May trip to the northern reaches of British Columbia coast, with fueling and custom stops along the way, only to swoop into the river valley in the helicopter to discover that the river was still frozen solid. No fishing on that trip. Brad’s one-line retort when Al once told him he could not join him on another fishing trip because he had to work: Quit your job! Fishing is more important. He was generous with all his friends, especially if they would join him on his fishing adventures. Bardo smiled and laughed from heaven as he watched a packed conference room of nearly 250 friends and family relay stories of his remarkable life a week after his passing on August 16,2024. His compassion and care for others filled that room with joy. He was a hero to everyone who knew him. For anyone who wishes to honor him, Brad and his family request that donations be made to the Saint’s Pantry Food Bank, 205 W. Cota Street, Shelton, WA 98584, www.saintspantry.org.