G. Napier and Ellen T. Wilson Scholarship Fund
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The 2001 book “Hello Cherry Tree: A Korean War Diary” tells the experiences of veteran George Napier ("Nip") Wilson (writing as George Napier), a Pittsburgh native who served as a fighter pilot in both World War II and the Korean War. Together with his wife, Ellen Wilson, Nip created the G. Napier and Ellen T. Wilson Scholarship fund in memory of his comrades killed in the Korean War.
Nip was born on May 27, 1921, and joined the local family insurance firm Thomson and Sproull Insurance Co. after his graduation from Williams College. He stayed with the firm throughout stints in the armed forces until his retirement in 1999. Nip moved to Fort Myers, Florida a year after his wife died in 1998. He enjoyed frequent tennis, reading to elementary students and serving as an English tutor. Nip died at Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers on Dec. 29, 2016. He was 95 years old.
The G. Napier and Ellen T. Wilson Scholarship fund provides funding to graduating high school seniors who volunteer at either the Aspinwall or Highland Park VA Hospitals and are planning to attend a tax-exempt college or university. To date, the fund has awarded more than 50 scholarships.