Emmett Wilson Jr.

Nicholas “Emmett” Wilson, Jr., 69, passed away on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at his residence. His soul went directly to heaven and his cough and sickness ceased to be never more.

A native of Buncombe County, Emmett was the son of the late N.E Wilson and Mary Alexander Wilson.

He is survived by his wife, Beth Greene Wilson; daughter, Suzi Wilson Sinclair (Sam); sons, Nick Wilson and Logan Wilson (Sachi); sister, Sarah Wilson-Miller; brother-in-law, Chip Greene (Krista); sister-in-law, Sharon Humphries (Scott); and grandchildren, Sammy (Carissa), Simon, Seth (Ezra) Sinclair, Lainey Beth Wilson, Jaxon, Maggie and Blake Triplett. He also is survived by some lifelong friends, Randy Thurman, Terry Banks and Phil Davis, with whom he could discuss farming all the day long.

Emmett’s family will receive friends Friday, May 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Groce Funeral Home, 1401 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC. Mr. Wilson will lie in state at Fletcher First Baptist Church, 5 Cane Creek Road, Fletcher, NC, beginning at noon on Saturday prior to the funeral service beginning at 1:00 p.m. The Rev. Richard Baird will officiate. Burial will then follow at Piney Grove Baptist Church, Marshall, NC.

Serving as pallbearers for Emmett are his grandsons, Sammy, Simon, Seth, and Jaxon, his nephew, Spencer, and his friend, Darrin. His grandson, Blake, will serve as an honorary pallbearer.

Emmett’s work career took him to Marion, Indiana, by train at the age of twelve to work with his Uncle Noble and family on their farm. He continued to travel by train by himself for many years, switching from North Buncombe High School to graduating from East Brook High his senior year. He began his own career as a dairy farmer in Indiana, purchasing his first farm at the age of 19. He dairy farmed for seven years and then returned to Barnardsville, NC, to contemplate his next vocation. Emmett said he would never complain of the price of milk.

Thus began his career in the trucking industry in 1979. As you guessed, Emmett Wilson Trucking became a name in the dump industry on the east coast. He met the love of his life, Beth, in 1980. Thus began a longstanding working relationship that would last 42 years. They worked side by side during these years while raising two sons and daughter. The business began to grow, running dump trucks and dump trailers, with 32 units at its height.

Hurricanes were worked with him and his son, Nick, heading into the danger zone of cleanups for some of the worst hurricanes of our times, sometimes sleeping in ditches until hotels could be found. Staging equipment into these areas and staying until the job was completed.

The next step would be to implement a concrete business to go along with trucking. Carolina Concrete Materials began operations in 1994. In 2007 buyers came forward for both companies and Emmett was able to return to farming, and of all places, Arkansas was the place to be. He and his sons headed west, leaving his wife behind to care for her parents. They may have been apart, but the cell phone kept them together, sometimes up to 15 calls a day. Beth was able to help from home. He grain farmed up to 4,000 acres at one time. Surviving disaster after disaster. The weather was not a farmer’s friend, but when all the weather came together and crops were planted, he loved nothing more than watching the crops come up and the harvest begin. I believe him watching the crops was as close to being in heaven on earth. Watching him and sometimes getting to see it myself, you could appreciate God’s handiwork. After a buyer was interested, he sold out again. He never cared what bread cost.

Returning home, he began working in South Carolina as a truck foreman on a farm. He continued this until he came home again and began working as a teamster, where he became known as the man that could drive any kind of rig including driving a stringer truck carrying pipes. He enjoyed working and receiving pay for what he was worth without any capitol put in except for his skills.

He suffered a heart attack in 2019 and slowed down to recover. His youngest son, Logan, had returned home and opened up his own trucking business that was hit hard during COVID. Emmett then began working closely with Logan and pulling groceries for Ingles Grocery during COVID, crossing states and taking the risk to get our groceries to the shelves.

Emmett was known for his work ethic and telling it the way he saw it. He never held a grudge and tried his very best at whatever he did. He made many friendships within his work community and appreciated every vendor and customer.

He loved bluegrass music and making his regular visits to the Coates Produce stand at the farmers market where he had many friends and could talk farming for many hours.

While in Emmett’s time of sickness, he realized that he should have put God first, family and then work. He said he didn’t work the plan properly. He was saved as a young man and was well versed in the Bible. He asks that each of us take stock in our lives and get back to the Bible. That is the book that should matter most to all of us. Accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior is the most important decision that one can make in life. This life just can’t be all there is.

“ Just as I am, without one plea,
but that they blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
leaning on the everlasting arms;
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
leaning on the everlasting arms.”

A quote from Sarah Williams poem,

“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” There will be no darkness in heaven, as it will always be light. Beth explained to me following a Sunday School Teaching.

We want to especially thank his cousin, Mike Frisbee for help in hospital and his many Chick-Fil-A picnics at lunch and the many visits he made with Emmett. We wish to thank our church family and every other person that were sending up prayers and help during this time. We also wish to thank Landon and Elizabeth from Health Care Hospice for their care and concern as well. A special thank you to Emmett’s Sunday School class and to Greg Rutledge with whom we spent hours talking truck stories. We love each and every one of you.

If you aren’t affiliated with a church, Fletcher First Baptist is the place to be. The music, fellowship and gospel preached, will guide you home.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to a charity of your choice.