Murray City was never the same after Gordon Wilson, who died Saturday, opened his automobile dealership at 5650 S. State St. in 1965.
Other auto dealers -- ultimately including the late Larry Miller -- followed Wilson into the central Salt Lake Valley city, creating what became known as the "Murray Auto Mile."
"It changed the whole character of State Street -- from Murray High School [5300 South] to Fashion Place Mall [6400 South]," said former Murray Mayor Lynn Pett, recalling Wilson, 76, as charitable, jovial and a good businessman.
"He played an important role in bringing those dealerships to Murray," which used the sales-tax revenue to hold down property taxes while building top-flight parks and recreation facilities.
"His was the first really large dealership ... ." Pett said. "A city can get a lot more sales-tax revenue on a $20,000 car than a lot of jeans sales ... After a few years, Murray had the lowest property tax of any city in the state and lots of money to spend on parks and streetlights -- things that made it possible to improve the quality of life."
Best known to a generation of Utahns as the car dealer whose advertising slogan characterized him as a "great, great guy," Wilson was active in a number of civic organizations.
A Catholic, he often donated cars to St. Vincent parish or to the Carmelite nuns in Holladay as prizes for fundraising ventures. He did the same for Murray City's efforts to pay for its Fourth of July celebrations. Wilson also served as chairman of the Christus St. Joseph Villa board, overseeing a $15 million expansion of the Salt Lake City seniors facility.
"He was certainly a very special person to St. Joseph's Villa over the years," said Chief Executive Galen Ewer. "He provided key leadership when [it] moved beyond simply providing long-term care for seniors, producing something very unique with senior services: a whole continuum of care."
Wilson also supported the Sisters of the Charity of the Incarnate Word. An avid fan of Fighting Irish college football, he was "Notre Dame Man of the Year" in Utah in 1983. He and his family also were well-known in Utah horse circles. Wilson served as president of the American Road Horse & Pony Association and on the board of the state association.
Along the way, he founded the Chevrolet Dealers Association, lectured at the college level and was chief executive of Metals Research Inc.
Born on Oct. 15, 1932 in Detroit to Gordon and Margaret Kelly Wilson, he married Georgia Ann Schappe in 1952. He graduated from General Motors Institute.
He is survived by his widow; daughters and sons: Kathleen, Richard (Melissa), Patricia (Robert) Schafer, Thomas (Mary) and Susan (Richard) Purol; 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Gordon, sister Peggy and parents.
1932-2009
