CLARENCE DOUGLAS WILDER
March 26, 1925 — February 16, 2009
CLARENCE DOUGLAS WILDER, a resident of the Oakland Community, retired Men's Clothing Salesman and Decorated United States Army Veteran who was a Prisoner of War died at 1:30 P.M. Monday, February 16, 2009 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis where he had been a patient for four days. He was 83 years of age and died following a brief, one-week illness.
Funeral Services with Military Honors were conducted for Mr. Wilder at 11 A.M. Thursday, February 19th at Peebles West Funeral Chapel in Oakland with Rev. Carl Meyer, Pastor of the Oakland First Baptist Church, officiating. A Private Interment will follow in the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at Germantown. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-West Chapel of Oakland.
Mr. Wilder was born March 26, 1925 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, the son of the late Byron N. Wilder and the late Hester Viola Furr Wilder. He was educated in the Pontotoc Mississippi Public School System and was married January 11, 1947 to the former Zola Fay Caldwell, also of Pontotoc County who survives.
Mr. Wilder, a proud Veteran of the United States Army, was a World War II Prisoner of War drafted at the age of 18. He served in the 85th Division, 338th Infantry Battalion in Co. L. captured by the Germans in 1944 and liberated by the Rainbow Infantry Division attached to General George Patton in May of 1945.
He and his family were residents of Memphis for many years before moving to Fayette County. He served as a Salesman in the Men's Clothing Department of Dillard's and other Memphis Department Stores for many years before his retirement six years ago.
He was of the Baptist faith and participated in American Legion activities throughout his life.
He will be remembered as a family oriented person with a deep devotion to his wife and daughter. He enjoyed caring for his yard, traveling and his association with his many customers during his long tenure as a clothing salesman.
In addition to his wife of sixty-two years, Mr. Wilder is survived by his daughter, Beverly Jo Wilder of Oakland; three nieces, one nephew and his beloved canine companion, "Dumplin".
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Milton Wilder and Marvin Wilder.
The family request that Memorials be directed to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942, Phone: 1-800-805-5856.