Longtime Greenport Man Dies, Family Fundraising For Funeral

GREENPORT, NY — A longtime Greenport community member has died, and now, his family is fundraising to help lay him to rest.

A GoFundMe page, "Memorial Fund For Percy Wilson," was created by Matthew Cordes.

"It is with great sorrow to have to announce that my father Percy Bertel Wilson has passed away," Cordes wrote. "It is with even more sorrow that I have to reach out to you all and ask for help in giving my father a proper memorial service."

His father, he said, was born on June 7, 1940. "He was a former Marine. He was a loving father and grandfather. Percy was one of the hardest-working people I have ever seen and was never one to ask anyone for anything. It pains me to have to reach out and ask for help for him now."

Wilson, his son said, worked at Claudio's in Greenport for 25 years and prior to that, spent 31 years working for the government on Plum Island until he retired.

"Percy fought hard and he fought well. He will only be remembered for his resilience, his perseverance, and his grace. He never complained and when he did, it would only be due to extreme pain. Percy was a well -respected member of the Greenport community all the way until he had to move to Brooklyn to be cared for by family members," his son said.

His family is grieving his passing and the financial burden of planning a funeral is causing stress, Cordes said.

"I had to surrender my job a few months ago to take care of my father as his health had deteriorated to the point of being unable to walk and also unable to really move himself. Due to not working I have been unable to have the extra money we once had to help with financial woes," he wrote. "If you can help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. If you can donate please do. If you can only share it that is fine, too. The message is still the same. God bless you all. Please continue to pray for my father and my family during this time."

To donate, click here.

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