Hank Wilson was truly a Truro icon
He was a familiar face to many Truro and area people.
He wore bright shirts and colourful outfits and his big smile was part of his trademark as he made conversation with people from all walks of life.
James Cree lman “Hank” Wilson was indeed a friendly and outreaching man. Leaving quite a legacy, I wanted to learn more about his journey.
Agreeable to help, Bob Wilson had been very close to his uncle Hank. Retired, following a 25-year career with Air Canada, Bob advised that his uncle was born Dec. 20, 1925 and passed away June 26, 2017 at 91 years of age.
“Following my uncle’s passing there was a letter to the editor published in the Truro Daily News,” Bob began. “The letter was written by a Truro lawyer; he described Hank as a Truro icon and he went on to say Hank was deserving of a write-up. I absolutely feel the same way – my uncle Hank is deserving of having his story told.”
Bob said Hank has a brother, Harry Wilson, age 96, living in Debert as well as a few other relatives in the area.
“I have kept a few of Hank’s old outfits he wore, a few of his pictures and his birth certificate, that’s pretty well it,” Bob said. “And, oh yes, I have a $1-million bill which was part of Hank’s collection, something he was pretty proud of.”
Bob shared early memories of his uncle.
“I lived in Hollywood, also called Halifax Road or Highway Two; Hank lived next door. I remember seeing Hank sitting on the front lawn in Hollywood, he had his record player and a guitar and he was trying to sing along with the music; I was six or seven at the time.
“I believe his nickname ‘Hank’ came from his interest in music and from Hank Snow, the country western singer. But, really, Hank wasn’t really musical.”
Bob said Hank left school at a young age.
“He went to work doing farm chores down Lower Truro and he worked later for Don Thomas who had a bookstore in Truro. Hank ran errands for the girls at the dress shop on Inglis Street, he shoveled snow on the railroad – he always seemed to be able to find small jobs around town to do.”
Bob assumes that as the years passed, Hank continued to meet more and more people.
“Hank was so friendly with everyone, he was always smiling, and he’d rush up to people and shake their hand whether he knew them or not. He was well known for the clothes he wore;
Hank loved colourful clothes and most of his shirts, pants and shoes, he had painted. It was pretty cool, the shirts he wore; he also had quite a collection of hats and caps.”
Another thing Bob thinks about in remembering his uncle, are Hank Stories.
“He had so many,” said Bob. “He told about flying to Boston and getting sick on the flight. Hank said the pilot turned the plane around and got back to Halifax as fast as he could. Of course, it wasn’t true, it was just one of Hank’s many stories.”
As a young boy Hank was actually hit by lightning.
“He was hit by lightning, but he loved adding to this story,” Bob recalled. “Hank embellished it until he had people believing he had been hit by lightning four different times – anything to get the interest of a possible audience.”
Hank was possibly best at convincing visitors to downtown Truro on a hot summer day that a freak hail storm was taking place down near Mcdonald’s Restaurant on Robie Street. As a couple of anonymous merchants shared...
“It’s hailing big chunks of hail as big as moth balls,” Hank said convincingly. “You really should take a drive down to Robie Street and see this for yourself.”
And apparently, on occasion over the years, people did hurry down to Robie Street looking for large chunks of hail.
“Hank was that good a storyteller,” Bob said. “But, there was another side to Hank. He loved the Heart & Stroke Club and helping out; he enjoyed going on trips with the club. He was also a member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But mostly, my memories of Hank would be his wardrobe and his love for being around people.”