On Monday, January 30th, John Wilson passed away at 10:29am. He had suffered a heart attack the previous night as well as a subsequent cardiac arrest and organ failure. He was surrounded by his wife Mary, and his children, Daniel and Elizabeth as he went home.

John was a gregarious and generous man who will be remembered for his charisma, passion, and his love of the Bible. He came to America in 1988, after he escaped from communist Romania. Joined by his wife and son, he pursued the American dream: he started his own machine shop business, raised two children (Elizabeth and Daniel) whom he encouraged to pursue their educational dreams, and devoted himself to planting churches and providing spiritual support to the Romanian community in America. Yet, he also experienced profound loss as he grieved over the passing of 3 young children. Throughout all this, his faith was the foundation to his life and defined every major decision of his life.

Having lived in New York, Georgia, and Texas, he mostly recently was living in Derby, Connecticut, with Mary and Elizabeth. In each of these locations he was involved in Romanian church plants and approached everything with an entrepreneurial mindset. Daniel remembers going door to door in New York, and John would talk about Jesus to anyone who would listen. Mary and Elizabeth committed countless hours to providing support via logistics, hospitality, music, and many of the other needs found in a local church community.

In the last few years of his life, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. However, his days were full of joy as he worked in the garden, FaceTimed with his grandaughter, and prepared for weekly services and bible studies. In the days leading up to his passing, he had a profound spiritual experience of joy with the Holy Spirit, and was always remarking on how God had fulfilled all his desires and given him completeness.

He leaves behind his wife, Mary, son and his family, Daniel, Carolyn and Callidora, daughter, Elizabeth, and siblings Elvira, Estera, Cornel, Ana, Ilie, Elisabetta, and Beni.