Photo

A funeral mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. this morning at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Pleasanton for DeWitt (Dee) Wilson who died Monday in his home. He was 90 years old.

A World War II naval veteran, Wilson was stationed in the Solomon Islands preparing for the invasion of Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing the war to an end. After returning home, he attended San Jose State University, majoring in Business and, later, Lincoln Law School in Oakland.

A retired developer, Wilson and his partner Louie Costanza built numerous residential subdivisions, apartments and commercial shopping centers in Union City and Fremont, with Wilson continuing on to build more than 400 houses in Pleasanton. He was a partner with the late George Spiliotopoulos in the Cheese Factory in Santa Cruz and at San Francisco International Airport.

In 1966, Wilson and his wife Shirley came to Pleasanton to watch their son in a track meet. They liked the city and decided to move here in 1967. He served the community and region in numerous capacities, including two years as a BART Director (1973-1975); eight years on the Planning Commission (1978-1986); two years on the City Council (1986-1988), and 36 years as a Director of the Alameda County Fair Board, serving two years as president.

He was a member of the Alameda County One Hundred Club since its inception in 1971, a board member of the George A. Spiliotopoulos Invitational Golf Tournament since its inception, a founding member in 1987 of the Pleasanton Men's Club and a long-time member of the Alameda County Honorary Deputy Sheriffs Association.

He was instrumental in the founding of a youth activity center at what is currently the Gingerbread Preschool. He was a recipient of the Pleasanton Firefighters' Award in 1974, the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award and the Western Fair Association Blue Ribbon Award, both in 2006, and he was also a recipient of the Mayor's Award.

Born in Oakland on Aug. 3, 1919 to Charles and Agnes Wilson, DeWitt Wilson is survived by Shirley, his wife of over 60 years, and two of their four children: Tom Wilson of Capitola and Karen Williams of Santa Cruz. He was preceded in death by their two sons David and Robert Wilson. He also leaves seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

The family requests donations be sent to the Stanford Cardiovascular Department at 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305 or to Hope Hospice, 6377 Clark Ave., Dublin, CA 94568.

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.