Wilson Grier Jr

Wilson Grier, Jr., 70 years old, was walked home following a prolonged illness, on Saturday, May 20th, 2023. He was surrounded by his family. 

Wilson was born in Elyria, Ohio, to the late Wilson Grier, Sr., and Mary Grier. Wilson was a member of the Boy Scouts and played Little League baseball. He attended Elyria High School, was the student director for Elyria High plays, and advocated for students' rights. He was committed to the theater in college and co-founded the Kuumba Players at Miami University of Ohio, majoring in Art History. 

Wilson couldn’t escape the theater and went on to direct at Karamu House Theatre (the oldest African American theater in the country). During his tenure at Karamu, Wilson worked alongside Debbie Allen, Ruby Dee, and more. In the 70s, he moved to New York City, where he worked for the New York State Council for the Arts. He later managed community theater and dance companies, including the Mel Wong Dance Company and the Elio Pomare Dance Company. Wilson was dedicated to community theater/performance. He formed a set and costume design company with Myrna Colly-Lee. When the Reagan Administration defunded community theater, Wilson quickly put his knowledge of technology to work and became a self-taught computer science and network systems consultant in the 1980s. For over 20 years, he worked in computer systems in New York City and Ohio. 

Wilson was civically engaged. He was a member of the Democratic Party and volunteered on the campaigns of President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and President Joe Biden. Even during his illness, he completed his absentee vote and made clear his position as a pro-choice advocate for reproductive justice and racial justice.

In his retirement, Wilson reconnected with his art taking classes at the Art Institute of Cleveland and spending many days making portraits of his family. Wilson was the king of dad jokes and loved to be silly with his daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. He loved to garden and was teaching himself how to play the piano, and he had just purchased an electric scooter to ride around Elyria and Oberlin parks. 

He is survived by his daughters, Angela Huyukluoglu of Houston, Texas, and Michelle Grier of Brooklyn, New York; his grandchildren, Bennett and Zoe Huyukluoglu; sisters, Justine Mckibbins, Valerie Grier, and Brenda Mathis; and his nieces and nephews, Michael Bodiford, Alex Bodiford, Janetta Bodiford, Jahmal Scott, and Disa Mathis; and ex-wives, Bernell Grier and Sharyn Algood.

In addition to his parents, Wilson was preceded in death by a sister in infancy, Sharon Grier, and a nephew, Lincoln Damione Scott.

 Friends and Family are invited to gather on Saturday, June 3rd, starting a 12:00 p.m. followed by the memorial service beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Brown-Robinson Funeral Home, 2652 Broadway Ave, Lorain, Ohio.