The memorial service for Edward James Wilson will be at 2:00PM on Sunday, January 22, 2017 in River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home with Rev. Anjanette Bandel officiating. Burial will be at a later date. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Sunday at the funeral home.

Mr. Wilson, 72, long-time resident of Rochester, died Thursday, January 19 at Season's Hospice in Rochester after a hard-fought battle with mesothelioma. Edward was born on May 17, 1944 in Milwaukee, WI to Bernie and Edward Wilson.

He graduated from John Marshall High School in 1962, enlisted in the Navy in 1963 and served for four years. On October 26, 1968, Ed married Sharon Weihe in Rochester. Ed was a steamfitter and master plumber. He was a member of Local Union #6 and employed at HIMEC for many years. Ed was a skilled and meticulous craftsman with many hobbies, enjoyed camping and fishing, and loved spending time with family and friends especially his seven granddaughters.

He is survived and missed by his wife, Sharon, his son, Mark (Kirstin) Wilson of Orono, MN; two daughters, Kimberly (Eric) Hawkinson of Norwood Young America, MN, and Jamie (Matthew) Blagg of London, England; seven grandchildren, Ingrid, Annika, and Greta Wilson, Alexis, Sydney and Sienna Hawkinson, and Isabel Blagg; three sisters, Judy Bader of Rochester, Jill (Dick) Lueck of Medina, Cathy (Dan) Swenningson of Rochester; his brother Todd Schwarz of Rochester, along with many nieces, nephews, and cherished friends. Ed is preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Mayo Clinic Cancer Research would be appreciated.