John Wilson arrived in Farmersville in 1963, fresh from Ohio State with a teaching degree and the desire to be his “own man” as far away as possible from his Cleveland roots.

He had two interviews lined up, but after meeting Farmersville High School principal Joe Brubaker, he skipped the second.

“I never regretted giving up more money and coming to Farmersville,” he said. “I never met so many good people so fast. It was a marriage made in heaven. I loved Farmersville, everything about it, the people, mostly, they were the nicest people I ever met, and I'm still friends with some of them to this day.”

Wilson retired from Valley View in 1991 after serving 23 years as Middle School principal, leading students and teachers in grades 6-8.

He’ll be 87 in July and struggles with blood pressure issues, but in an interview his spirits were high, and his booming voice had not diminished.

A TWIN CREEK TIMES Facebook post asking for memories of Mr. Wilson generated 115 comments and more than 200 likes. A selection of comments is included throughout this article.

In 1968, when Farmersville and Germantown combined to become Valley View, Wilson was tapped to become principal of the newly created Middle School in Germantown at the former high school.

Wilson was enrolled to earn his Master’s degree at Xavier and even though he wasn’t through with his degree, he was considered the best candidate for the role. “I took the courses, and I passed them, thank goodness, so they didn't have egg on their face,” he joked.

“I met a lot of good people, a lot of good people,” he said. “I credit my success with good teachers.”

Tiff Lakes Karacia - Mr. Wilson knew all the kids by name and was always so nice to the students. I’ll never forget the way his voice carried down the hallway or how, when he walked, he did a happy bounce. We were lucky to have him steering the ship during those formative years.

Lori Deaton Desch - He was always so good natured and smiling! When we went on the 8th grade trip to Toronto, my friend and I got separated from the bigger group because my friend got her arm stuck in a blood pressure checking machine. We couldn’t get her out! We had help from a docent, but Mr. Wilson came back through to check on us and he was laughing so hard—and we were terrified we were in trouble. He walked us back out to the bus, which was waiting and on the way, he had us stop and look at several things he found interesting. He was a great Principal!

Susan Davis - One of the best principals I had, I loved the bounce in his step and his happy personality.

Community Life

Wilson came to Farmersville partly because he wanted to coach sports. As his own children grew up in the community, he noted the lack of youth activities, so he helped found VV BASE and youth soccer programs.

“The best thing I ever did here was join the Lions Club,” Wilson said. “I was involved with them for 46 years. I still pay my dues, but I'm an inactive member.”

Wilson married teacher Judy Moon in 1986, a second marriage for both. They will celebrate 40 years of marriage this summer. Judy is a hands-on caregiver and Wilson notes he wouldn’t be able to stay in their historic Germantown home without her.

The Wilsons had an antique business after they retired from Valley View and ran that business for about 20 years. “I loved antiques,” John Wilson said. “I made a promise to her that I would learn antiques if she would do some things with me, so she took up golf.”

The Wilsons have a combined 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Carl Eisenmenger - I never had him in school because we are of a similar age. I have spent countless hours with him because he is one of my best friends! He is definitely one of a kind!

Middle School Memories

Corporal punishment was part of a principal’s duties during Wilson’s career. “I had to give some whacks,” he said.

“I never had a kid say that I didn't deserve it,” he noted. “They all say, 'Oh man, did I deserve it!’ I didn't try to hurt them, and most of the time it was better than a three-day suspension or something like that, that took them out of school, and I didn't want to do that.”

When he got out more, Wilson says he would sometimes encounter these middle school boys, now grown.

“We would be out at a restaurant, you know, boys change so much from middle school. And this bearded man comes up to me. He's about 6ft tall and 250 pounds. He says, ‘Are you Wilson?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ And he says, ‘I remember you paddled me and I deserved it.’ I apologized, but he says no, ‘I deserved it,’ and that was his reaction, and I breathed a little bit easier.”

“I keep waiting for the first time he's gonna get punched out,” Judy Wilson laughed.

The other memory Wilson’s students have are from the 6th grade trip to stay in the old dorms at Camp Miami and his sense of humor.

Jill Dickson - I believe he lead our “snake” walk back to camp Miami - We walked in and out of the creek up and down the banks all the way back!

David Shortt - I recall right before spring break at Middle School, they played a movie called the "Shuttered Room," a real thriller. Hundreds of us were packed in the auditorium watching the movie, suddenly there was a nudity scene....the kids were laughing, talking and pointed. Mr. Wilson ran from the top of the auditorium to the projector and tried to cover it with his hand...meanwhile the kids went wild. A couple years ago, I asked him about that incident and he related "I saw my career was over". He was the best...

Bethany Brant - I graduated from VVHS in 1995, my maiden name was Wilson. When my dad would see John, they would greet each other with “Hello Mr. Wilson,” and then the other would respond “Hello Mr. Wilson.” He was such a great principal!

Shawn Baker - The look on his face last Christmas when he found out that he had paddled Santa.

Jessica Kesling Shields - Love Mr. Wilson. I had him as principal in M.S. (graduated '95) and I remember when he retired. I was supposed to get up and read a poem that I had written for the ceremony, but I was too shy and afraid I was going to cry in front of everyone. Was a sad day when he retired

Mike Lane - I was in the 8th grade. He was in the hall near the cafeteria. I was in the cafeteria, his back was to me. Mr. Wilson was having a conversation with someone in the hall before he was to entire the cafeteria. As he finished talking he turned to come inside the cafeteria and ran his face into the door way that split the double doors. However I was the only one that seen him ram his face. The cafeteria was packed BTW! He looked right at me and smiled, then approached me with that big smile he always had on. He and I shared great laughter together that day and many years following when we seen each other. That's just one of my memories of him. He was a great principal and a joy to be around. I may or may not have spent several trips to his office!

Aliya DalRae - I remember he had a pair of orange pants that he wore all the time. It was when Still Rock & Roll to Me was popular. (IYKYK) We always laughed when he wore them. They were something else.

Melinda Watkins Baird - I remember him walking down the hallway with his strut just like he owned the place. Loved me some Mr. Wilson.

Michael Howard - I had Mr Wilson. Great guy. He had to paddle me about once a month or so, but great guy. Nobody's fault but mine lol. Sidenote, I think Mr Wilson could have played pro baseball with those whacks.

Early years at Farmersville

Wilson was glad to get a brick from the now-demolished school in Farmersville, the start of his career and initial tie to the community.

He told a story about feeling like a fish out of water in a farming community. “He had never really seen a cow in person,” Judy noted. Marvin Ulrich got him a job his first summer break measuring crops. He went to the first farmer, and he got out and looked around for the green beans, because he was told to look for beans.

“The beans I knew were long, stringy things, and I couldn't find the beans. I don't know who it was, but his farm was right outside of Farmersville. He's probably still laughing. I'm standing there, knee deep in beans, and I asked him, ‘Where are the beans?’”

At Farmersville, Wilson taught high school biology, health and phys ed and coached multiple sports.

He is especially proud that many of his former biology students went into the sciences. “Glenn Bowman and Doug Ulrich became science teachers. Another guy became a doctor. Two of the girls became nurses,” he said. The board asked him to teach an advanced biology class, and when Doug Ulrich went to Eastern Kentucky, he said it was a breeze because he used the same textbook, Wilson remembered.

Billie Erisman Kramme - I think we may have been his first class in his teaching career. He taught our Biology class and impacted my career direction into nursing. He was a favorite of our class, but even more, became a friend. He even attended our wedding in Missouri. He has no doubt affected many lives over the years making a difference in the world! Thank you, John!

Dirschl C. Lacy - I believe the 1963-64 school year was Mr. Wilson’s first as a teacher. I did not have him for a class, but he helped with the basketball, track, and baseball teams. (And, we needed all the help we could get!) All my memories of him are that he was a warm, kind, and caring person. My experiences with Mr Wilson this century have not altered my opinion. He is still a very special person and a valued member of the community.

Wilson remembered his first students fondly all these years later. “It was amazing to sit in front of 25 kids, and everybody's listening to you, and I never had a discipline problem or anything like that.”

Wilson learned firsthand about the fruit roll, a tradition of students in the 1960s.

“One day I came into class, and all of a sudden the whole class threw fruit at me - oranges, apples, you know, anything that would roll. They didn't throw it at me, they rolled it and stuff. I was so upset, I couldn't believe it, such a show of disrespect, I didn't expect it from them, and I was mad, and I think it was one of the girls who came up to me and said, ‘Mr. Wilson, we only do that to people we really like.’”

A Note of Thanks

If you would like to send Mr. Wilson a card for his July birthday, or just drop him a note in the mail, send the card to

John Wilson
152 S. Main Street
Germantown, OH 45327

© 2026 Twin Creek Times