The Reverend Charles Wilson—lifelong student, theological scholar, and amateur horticulturist, who made a dedicated and thoughtful specialty of interim ministry—died on 31 March 2018, aged 86.

In a career spanning 34 years, parish ministry in 13 different congregations, and multiple administrative positions, the Rev’d Mr. Wilson made perhaps his most lasting impact in transitional ministries. During his own nine interim appointments, he offered steady organizational leadership to the emerging specialty of interim ministry among his UU clergy colleagues (1977–89) and served as co-leader of the ministerial start-up seminar program (1981–87).

Charles Lewis Wilson was born on 30 July 1931 in Buffalo, NY, to Charles H. and Viola (Sypher) Wilson. After graduation from the Manlius Military School (DeWitt, NY), he earned a B.A. in psychology in 1953 from University of Rochester (NY), and then an M.B.A. from Syracuse University, (NY) in 1954. After U.S. Army service in Korea and working for several years in insurance and marketing, Charles answered a call to ministry, enrolled in Harvard Divinity School, and completed his B.D. in 1964.

Mr. Wilson was ordained on 8 November 1964 by East Shore Unitarian Church in Kirtland, OH, where he remained settled until 1966. After two more brief settlements, he embarked on an interim career, broken only by two years as associate director of the UUA Dept. of Ministry. He ended his parish career with a settlement at the UU Church of Marblehead, MA (1990–98) and was elected Minister Emeritus on retirement.

Beyond the parish, The Rev’d Mr. Wilson served on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (1983–84), chaired the theology section of UU Collegium (1980–82), and was active in the local ACLU chapter.

At the time of his death, Charles was survived by his wife of almost 64 years Hildegard Wilson (née Hemmerich), children Paul Wilson, Elizabeth Dobbins, Charles Wilson Jr., and grandchild John Wilson.