Wilson

Laurene and Short Wilson                 Stan and Jim Wilson

       Floyd E. (Short) Wilson and his twin brother, Lloyd O. (Slim) Wilson were born July 18, 1908, in Leslie, Iowa, the sons of Dr. Richard D. and Olive (Corwin) Wilson.  The family later moved to New Virginia, Iowa.  Short graduated from New Virginia High School in 1926.  He married Lorene Coulter on August 15, 1929, in Osceola, Iowa.  Lorene was born in New Virginia, Iowa, on September 13, 1910.   

            Short was a section foreman for the C.B.&Q. Railroad for 47-1/2 years.  They lived in various towns from Afton, Iowa, to Burlington, Iowa.  Sometimes they lived in a bunk car.   The family lived in Lucas, Iowa, before moving to Woodburn in 1941.  Through the years they lived in several houses including the Methodist Parsonage.  In 1951, they purchased the Smith house and lived there until moving to Osceola.  Lorene worked at Snowdon’s in Osceola in the late 1940’s.  In 1950, she leased the Woodburn Tavern which she ran for 11 years until 1961.  She would run it during the day and after work, Short would take over for the evening. 

        Short and Lorene were active in community affairs - attended basketball games, Short was a DJ for dances in the 1940’s and he served as Mayor, marshal, was on the fire department, and assisted Superintendant Agans in coaching the High School boys basketball team.  Short played town team basketball, softball, baseball and also officiated basketball, baseball, and softball at various schools in the area.  In later years, he coached the town softball team and also the Little League team.

        In 1964 or 1965, the railroad was going to cut one of the two sections at Woodburn, so Short took the section in Osceola, retiring in 1973.   Lorene passed away in 1980 and Short in 1995.  They are buried at the New Virginia cemetery.  Their children are James Robert "Jim" and Stanley Eldon "Stan".