Late news: Funeral arrangements for Al Wilcox

Viewing: Sunday, 2 PM to 5 PM at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Rd, Lawrenceville, NJ

Funeral: Monday. 11 AM, same location

Internment: Greenwood Cemetary, Hamilton, NJ.

http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/trenton/obituary.aspx?n=albert-h-wilcox&pid=148351455

 

From Today's "The Trentonian"

Albert H. Wilcox | Visit Guest Book

LAWRENCE - Albert H. Wilcox, 92, of Lawrenceville, died Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011.
Born in Lawrenceville, Al was a lifelong resident. He was employed by several trucking firms over the years as a tractor-trailer driver and retired in 1980 after 34 years of service.
Al served his country in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of World War II.
A well-known motorcycle racer and starter, Al went to the starting line more than 1,000 times from 1946 until 1960. He was a nationally ranked and H-D factory racer for three years. After his retirement from racing, he became a motorcycle starter for the last 50 years and was known as "Airborne Al." He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Daytona, Fla.
Al was also the owner and manager of Al's Gals softball team in the '70s. They won the Mercer Women's Softball league many times and were the New Jersey State Champions in 1979.
Son of the late Albert and Jane Salt Wilcox, husband of the late Julie I. Wilcox, father-in-law of the late Clarence C. Smires, he is survived by his two daughters, Julia Smires and Joyce Markulec and her husband Walt; his brother, Ralph P. Wilcox; two sisters, Jane Morgan and Edna Lloyd and her husband Robert; his six grandchildren, Albert Smires and his wife Elaine, Susan Smires, Scott Markulec and his wife Joanne, Marcus Markulec and his wife Michele, Daniel Smires and his wife Candice and Melissa Caruso and her husband Todd; his nine great-grandchildren, Jessica Smires, Stephanie Markulec, Jared Markulec, Connor Markulec, Audra Smires, Dylan Markulec, Aidan Smires, Gabriella Caruso and Jackson Caruso; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Al will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, with the Rev. Stoney Locklear, pastor of Turning Point Worship Center, officiating. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery Hamilton.
Friends may call on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home.
For directions or to leave a condolence for the family please visit www.poulsonvanhise.com
Published in The Trentonian on February 5, 2011

 

p.s. I would have just posted the URL to the announcement, but The Trentonian website is pretty weird.

 

That's why I posted the URL from nj.com

Got there early, didn't see any racer types. I don't want to sound morbid or weird, but Al looked like Al.

 

was the viewing today?!?!?!

 

We were there from about 3 to 4. Also didn't see many racer types. Talked to his brother Ralph for a bit. We met him a number of times at the track with Al.

Very sad but a nice video and pictures displayed. Checkered flag and white cap were with him.

 

I am going to the funeral tomor, sorry I missed viewing today. Anyone have any more details on the viewing today?

Dave Hammer

 

I'm sad.

 

We sent flowers but got word of the viewing and funeral too late to attend - my heart was there and we will miss Al so much!

 

Ev-

Your flowers made it. They were lovely. The service was nice, low key and spiritual, as Al would have liked and appreciated.

I was fine until the Army honor guard played Taps at graveside. Then I got something in my eye.

The vault lid had several photo images of racers and a nice "crossed checkered flags" logo above Al's name.


RIP, my friend.

 

Tom/RC,

Just came from the service. Yes, it was nice and TAPS was indeed moving...
Sorry I missed speaking with you..

Dave Hammer

 

I also wanted to go but relied on a friend to let me know when! I did make it for his 90th Birthday so better to acknowledge him alive than dead! Al was Truly a ONE & ONLY!

 

The service was very nice and representative of the life Al lived. He has his checkered flag, his cap, a miniature version of a full set of flags and was in his starter uniform. What a life Al lived... We said our goodbyes with Taps playing graveside. RIP, my friend.

 

At the risk of being banned I'd like to post this for those who never got to experience it live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdpf1zi7bI0

He was special.

 

TZ, Not sure why you'd feel the threat of being banned for posting that, but if they do, they can ban me too.................

RIP Al, you'll never be replaced and you will most certainly, NEVER be forgotten.

Dave Hammer