Martin, or "Marty" Wilson, 61, passed away on December 6, 2024 with his partner, Mary Beth Guenther, 58, when a fire gutted their home in Kearny, NJ.
Marty was born in Montclair in 1963 and was raised in Verona along with an older sister Carol and older brother David. Marty, like his siblings, attended Laning Avenue school and later graduated from VHS in 1981. Afterwards, he attended and graduated from Rutgers University and spent a long career in IT consulting including ISA Consulting, Ernst & Young, and Nagarro Corporation.
Like his brother, both were active in VHS' well regarded music program and stage band under Harry Owens. Marty auditioned and played in the McDonald's Tri-State All Star Jazz Band comprised of the best HS players from NJ, NY, and CT. The group played on TV and some great venues along with some notable jazz musicians such as Lionel Hampton and others. While working at Ernst & Young, he played in their corporate band culminating in a first place winning performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in 2011.
Marty is survived by his sister Carol Gonichelis and her husband Ron of North Richland Hills, TX and their 2 children, Don and Brian of Morris Plains, NJ, a brother Dave and his wife, Linda of Edwards, CO and their two sons, Jeffrey and his wife Kim of Sherman Oaks, CA and Christopher and his wife Kayla of London, England, a cousin Rodney McNeill and his wife Shirley of Plains, PA and their son Randy of Raleigh Durham, SC and several great nieces and nephews Kalianna, Dexter, and William.
Funeral and memorial services will be at a later date through Armitage & Wiggins in Kearny, NJ.