Joe Wilson served community well

Posted By: Staff November 11, 2022

To the editor:

On Oct. 30, my former colleague on the city council, Joe Wilson lost his battle with prostate cancer. It was way back in 1993 that I decided to seek a seat on the council. Frank Nicastro led the ticket as the mayoral candidate, I ran along with Art Ward here in the 1st district.  Collectively we ran a successful campaign and won the mayor’s seat along with five of the six council seats.

In my time of service (two terms, four years) I served with Joe on the Ordinance and Real Estate committees. Joe served our city with distinction. He worked hard, did diligence on issues that came before us and endeavored to make Bristol a better place.

While I have lost touch with him and my colleagues over the years, I will always be grateful for having met and worked with Joe. Of the work we did I will always remember how we encouraged the city to buy the abandoned and vandalized former Forestville Boys Club. We had hoped to turn it into a recreational center for kids in that section of Bristol but were thwarted in our efforts. Thankfully the building was purchased and is now a well-kept manufacturing facility.

Thanks for your service to Bristol Joe and for the many fond memories I have of our time together on the council.

He leaves his wife Pamela Sirianni Wilson, three children, five grandchildren, a brother and sister. A memorial Mass will be held on Nov. 14 at St. Anthony Church at 10 a.m.

Rich Colbert

Bristol, Conn.

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