Quentin Wilson

Quentin Taylor Wilson (November 21, 1942 – August 30, 2019) was an American engineer and one of the original Rocket Boys, featured in the book October Sky, as well as the film adaptation October Sky, where he was portrayed by Chris Owen.

Not to be confused with the television presenter and motoring expert Quentin Willson.
Quentin Wilson
Born(1942-11-21)November 21, 1942
William Poca, West Virginia
DiedAugust 30, 2019(2019-08-30) (aged 76)
Amarillo, Texas
NationalityAmerican
EducationBig Creek High School, Marshall University
OccupationEngineer
Known forone of the original Rocket Boys

Biography

Wilson was born in Warriormine, West Virginia, to Eston and Jessie Richardson Wilson, who had migrated to the coalfields of West Virginia from subsistence farms in Carter County, Tennessee, during the Great Depression. The Wilsons had eight children. Only six survived to adulthood, of which Quentin was third oldest, and eldest son.

Wilson attended Big Creek High School with Homer Hickam and the rest of the Rocket Boys. Together this group built several rockets and competed in a National Science Fair.[1] After graduating from Big Creek, he attended Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia, graduating with a major in Chemistry.[2] He came to Texas to find work in the oil business.

He settled in Amarillo in 1973, as an independent engineer with Santa Fe Energy, and married Glenna Wilson, with whom he had three daughters, and later divorced and remarried Janice Birkholz,[1] and continued to travel extensively speaking about the Rocket Boys' childhoods.[3] Quentin died on August 30, 2019, in Amarillo, Texas.[4]

References
  1. Chip Chandler (February 18, 1999). "'When I grow up...'". Amarillo News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  2. "Quentin Wilson: An Original Rocket Boy". The Original Rocket Boys. 2000. Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  3. Liz Everett (November 14, 2000). "Students prepare for upcoming lecture by Hickam". Amarillo News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  4. "Quentin Taylor Wilson Obituary - Amarillo, TX". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
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