Berner “Biff” Wilson Jr

Berner (Biff) Wilson Jr.  passed away on Sunday, July 16, 2017 surrounded by his family. 

Biff was born on October 18, 1938 to Berner and Blondine Wilson, who have preceded him in death.  He spent his childhood in his native Decatur, Georgia where his parents instilled in him a love of God, family, church and community.  As a young man, Biff attended Decatur First Baptist, became an Eagle Scout and graduated from Decatur High School.  He continued his education at his beloved Georgia Tech where he was a member of ATO fraternity, ROTC and the track and swim teams.  In 1961, he graduated with a BS in Industrial Engineering and later returned to obtain a MS in Industrial Management.

Following graduation, Biff entered the Air Force, serving as a 2^nd Lieutenant and meteorologist. While stationed in Zaragoza, Spain, he showed his willingness to take risk by dating his commander’s daughter, Beverly Sue McKee.  He always said that winning her love was his life’s greatest accomplishment.  Bev went on to spend 55 years as his soul mate, best friend and wife.  

After leaving the Air Force, Biff worked for various Atlanta based companies before joining Allied Systems of Decatur.  He worked for the company for 27 years, retiring in 1999 as an Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Board.  Driven by their love of the mountains, Biff and Beverly decided to move to Clayton, Georgia devoting their time to family and supporting their newly adopted hometown.

Throughout his life, Biff was an active contributor to and servant of the communities in which he lived.  A strong supporter of families and education, Biff served for many years as the chairman and a board member of both National Families in Action and DeKalb Partners in Education. He was a member of the Rotary Club for nearly three decades, acting as President of both the Decatur and Clayton chapters.  He also took an interest in the medical welfare of the community, first as a board member of Dekalb Medical Center and then as a board member of Rabun Medical Foundation. During retirement, Biff served on the board of Mountain Heritage Bank and assisted in the formation of the West Rabun Property Owners Association.

Foremost for Biff was his desire to serve the Lord and to be a witness of Christ’s love.  He taught Sunday School for over 50 years and was an ordained deacon for nearly 40 years, acting as the Chairman of the Board of Deacons multiple times in several churches.  He continually helped the church and its members through many committees and organizations.  Biff always strove to know the Lord better, continually studying the Word and forming a special connection to the Lake Burton Men’s Bible Group.   He had a deep commitment to spreading God’s word and provided support to numerous mission efforts, especially the Haggai Institute.

Biff leaves behind a tremendous legacy of faith, service and love.  He is survived by his beloved wife, Beverly; his sons and daughters-in-law Eric (Amy), Dennis (Misty) and Chris (Stacey); his granddaughters Megan, Laurel, Ansley, Kara, Ashton, Krista and Callie; his brother, Dr. Jim Wilson and many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

A celebration of Biff’s life will be held on Saturday, July 29th at Clayton Baptist Church.  The family will receive friends at 1:00.  The service will begin at 2:00 with a reception being held at the church immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that gifts be made in Biff’s memory to either Clayton Baptist Church, 87 S Church Street, Clayton, Georgia 30525 or the Haggai Institute, 4725 Peachtree Corners Circle, Norcross, GA 30092.