Obituary of Everett Alan Wilson

Everett Alan Wilson passed away on April 1, 2023 in San Clemente, CA. He had recently celebrated his 88th birthday. He is predeceased by his beloved wife Lois, his son Ronald (lost to Cystic Fibrosis at 5 months old) and his sister Priscilla. He is survived by his three children, Alan(Karen), Annette(Tom) and Kristi(Jason), his 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren and his siblings Ruben, Lewis, Alice, and Noel. Everett was born March 30, 1935 in Weed, CA. He was the fourth child of Ruben A. Wilson and Harriet Porter Wilson, licensed ministers with the Assemblies of God. Moving in his elementary school years with his family from a rural town to Alameda, CA in the shadow of UC Berkeley greatly impacted Everett. It exposed him to his academic potential, higher education and the arts. Teachers recognized his artistic ability and had him enroll in the California School of Arts and Crafts. Upon entering junior high, his parents received a call to pastor the Roseville Assembly of God church. The church was filled with many wonderful families. Most important to Everett was the Fowler family and their daughter Lois. That introduction at 11 years old would forever impact Everett. They were married on June 15, 1957 and in the proceeding 63 years they partnered together in life and raising a family. Everett was a licensed and ordained minister with the Assemblies of God for over 65 years. Over their lives, he and Lois ministered in Oakland, Roseville, Santa Cruz, San Jose (Costa Rica), Cordoba (Spain), and numerous cities in Mexico, Central and South America and Cuba. During his years in Roseville, Everett worked in the train yards packing ice cars and was introduced to Spanish and new cultures. It was during this time that his love of learning, speaking Spanish and dreaming of global adventures formed. Everett graduated from Roseville High School where he stood out as a leader, conference athlete, musician and was voted ‘most likely to succeed’ by his class and teachers. Pursuing a dream to prepare himself for his life work, Everett attended Glad Tidings Institute, later changed to Bethany University, from 1952 to 1955 and then finished his undergraduate studies at Sacramento State University. He experienced the sovereign hand of God when he was accepted into UC Berkeley to get his Masters in History. There had been a question of whether the university would accept his credits from his studies at Bethany. In the records of the UC Berkeley’s registrar, a former Bethany student had demonstrated such excellent work that a note had been made to accept Bethany students’ academic work for credit. Everett was the only student to benefit from this note. He went on to pursue a PhD at Stanford University and continued his interests in Latin American studies. To complete his doctoral dissertation Everett took his family to live in El Salvador to research the oligarchy that controlled the country in the early 1900’s. Many years later the government of El Salvador would select his dissertation to be read by their students to reflect the nation’s history during that period. Everett would go on to publish numerous articles in academic journals, contribute to academic collections and write his own books on the history of the pentecostal movement in Latin America and the world. While continuing his studies, he served in Oakland as associate pastor and was later invited to serve at Bethany University as Dean of Students and Professor of History. He dedicated 38 years to Bethany University inspired to develop leaders that were prepared to meet the needs of their generation, demonstrating excellence in their field and a desire to offer the hope of Christ to the world. Lois would go on to complete her teaching credential and serve in the community as an elementary school teacher. Everett was a great support to her and created whimsical props and art work for her many musicals and plays performed at Vine Hill Elementary School. Everett served as Academic Dean of Bethany and eventually received a call to go to Costa Rica to establish Cincel, a language school and place of preparation for new missionaries serving in Latin America. After six years, he was asked to consider becoming Bethany University’s next president and help them secure their accreditation with WASC. While they enjoyed serving as President at Bethany for six years and living near many of their grandchildren, they accepted an invitation to lay the groundwork for the Evangelical Seminary of the Assemblies of God in Cordoba, Spain to receive accreditation. Everett spent two years there and was able to help the seminary during this strategic time of transition, impacting the individuals he and Lois served with and using his many abilities and years of experience to help the seminary prepare for the future. Everett and Lois returned to the U.S. to help foster a partnership with Vanguard University and Latin America Bible Institute in Southern California. They eventually retired in Laguna Woods near many of Everett’s siblings who they traveled with and shared interests. Everett loved taking Lois out on dates, watching basketball, cutting out news articles for his research, discussing history, conversing in Spanish, traveling and collecting anything having to do with Don Quixote. Everett never recovered from losing Lois in December 2020 to a long illness, sharing at his 88th birthday how much he missed her. He went to be with the Lord and his beloved Lois two days later. Everett was a kind, intelligent and loving man who took time to notice and encourage people from every walk of life. He never let the disappointments and challenges of life take away from his gratitude and thankfulness to God for all the love and opportunity he had experienced in his life. He always shared that hope and spirit with all he met. A celebration of Everett Wilson’s life is planned for Thursday, May 11th at 2:00 pm. It will be held at Christian Life Center, 1009 Mission St., Santa Cruz, CA.