Ian Hamar Boyd Wilson - Obituary

an Hamar Boyd Wilson, MGySgt USMC Ret., of Annapolis, Maryland, was deployed to guard the streets of heaven on February 10, 2024. Ian lived a life of integrity, service, adventure, and love. His wit, compassion, and humor remained with him until the end. Ian was born in Sheffield, England in 1942 during the Second World War. As a young boy, he travelled by boat to Canada with his father, "Tug" Wilson. While enroute, the ship’s American Captain introduced him to three components of Americana that he would enjoy for life: tomato soup, chocolate bars, and comic books. When he was only seventeen, Ian joined the Canadian Signal Corps where he learned electronics, morse code, and other communication protocols that inspired his spirit of learning and collaboration. Ian volunteered for the Vietnam war by joining the U.S. Marines, where he served for over 26 years as an aviation maintenance expert and metal smith for both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. His posts included Quality Assurance Chief for HMX-1, the helicopter squadron for the U.S. President and other top brass. Ian always insisted on doing things "the right way", which he applied to his character and actions along with fixing aircraft. Ian met Marilyn Wilson, his wife of 55 years, in Mrs. Kitchen's kitchen. Ian and Marilyn were blessed with two loving children, Johanna Wilson and Glen Ian ("G.I.") Wilson. The Wilson family enjoyed living together in many places, including Michigan, Japan, North Carolina, Hawaii, Virginia, California, and finally in Maryland. Ian loved and was loved by his wider family as well, including his children's spouses, Peggy Wilson and Richard Smith, grandchildren Nicholas and Zachary, and siblings Jennifer, Michael, Judy, Peter, David and Stephan. Ian continued to share his talents and energy during retirement, caring for ailing family members, supporting his children as they started businesses, and bringing his metallurgy skills to work with friend Doug Palmer at Brass Artcrafts. Ian proudly donned uniforms for celebrating Marine Corps events, marching in Labor and Memorial Day parades, and even for escorting haggis processions during Robert Burns Nights. As a self-described "tree hugger", Ian cared deeply about the environment. He loved the water, often taking his children sailing on his boat in Oahu, and building his own wooden boat during retirement. He gardened, composted, reused, and recycled decades before such practices were more broadly adopted. He broke into song with only the slightest prodding and seldom missed an opportunity to dance. Ian valued action while also embracing a life of the mind. An avid reader, Ian enjoyed "hard" science fiction, Popular Mechanics, history, and technical journals. As a wedding gift, his wife gave him a collection of the "Great Books" of Western Civilization, including works by Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Copernicus, Newton, and Einstein. Ian liked to learn and to share ideas. He reveled in his plainspoken communication style. Ian brought wit, courage, energy, love, loyalty, and selfless support to family, friends, and country. Ian was an understated spiritual and religious man, rooted in his belief in God and the afterlife. May flights of angels escort him to the blessed rest of everlasting peace and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Visitation will be on Monday, February 19, from noon to 2pm followed by a 2pm service, at Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd, Edgewater, MD 21037. Interment will be at Quantico National Cemetery at 12:30 Tuesday, February 20.