Growing up Wilson

Dad valued hard work, something he undoubtedly learned growing up during the Great Depression. After graduating from UCLA, he started out as a real estate broker for Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles. Eventually, he and a business partner formed a company that developed neighborhood shopping centers, and later the Fish Market restaurant chain.

The company became quite successful, although not without a great deal of time and effort on his part. Dad put in long hours, but he loved and took pride in what he did. He encouraged each of us boys to follow our passion, telling us that if we worked hard at what we loved, money would likely follow. Of course, following one’s passion isn’t always possible, but Dad saw value in all kinds of work and taught us that, no matter the job, we should do it to the best of our ability and take pride in the result. That advice buoyed me whether I was digging a hole, handing out towels at a beach club, or washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen — all things I did to earn money before graduating from college and following my own passion into the computer arena.

All the hard work in the world won’t get the job done if someone with the right skills isn’t part of the team. Dad began his transition from property developer to philanthropist after my mother showed him a newspaper article about a group of inner-city L.A. kids dreaming of turning a neighborhood vacant lot into a public park. Neither the kids nor their teachers or parents had the knowledge or wherewithal to make the park happen — but my parents did. Dad rallied the community and roped in a number of business associates, and together they built Estrella Park.

Estrella Park, which was completed in 1982, was just the beginning. Mom and Dad followed that project with countless others, large and small. Dad was particularly focused on projects that dealt with education, homelessness and food security, along with projects that enhanced his local community. Having matured under his influence, my own areas of interest tend to mirror his, although my being a member of a more recent generation has led me to add environmental causes to my list. I never managed to convince him to join me in some of the environmental organizations my wife and I support, but that’s OK — everyone should have their own priorities in their charitable giving. The main thing, I learned, is to act on those priorities.

Although he was often given it, my father sought no credit for the philanthropic work he did. When a need resonated with him, he jumped right in, working quietly and quickly to address it. One effort that did hit the spotlight was when he gave $1,000 to each and every Paradise High School student and staff member after the 2018 Camp Fire nearly wiped out that community. My dad had always regarded his time in high school as one of the highlights of his life, and he despaired at what he imagined those students must have been going through. He aimed to provide a ray of sunshine in the middle of a very gloomy situation, and let them know someone cared.

Dad’s gifts to the Paradise High students and staff taught me that sometimes the best solutions are the most direct. Numerous worthy organizations were helping in Paradise, but their efforts took time and were often one-size-fits-all. Dad chose to cut through the red tape and simply give people cash (well, a check — he hand-signed more than 1,100 of them), trusting the kids and faculty to know how best to make use of that money.

I miss my father, but I’m happy knowing that the world is a better place because he was in it. Someday, I hope that the same will be said about me.

Greg Wilson is the creator of Walking Redwood City, a blog inspired by his walks throughout Redwood City and adjacent communities. He can be reached at greg@walkingRedwoodCity.com. Follow Greg on Twitter @walkingRWC.