Wilburn “Willie” M. Wilson, 95, of Cadiz, KY, died on Thursday, May 15, at his home in Cadiz.

A native of Cerulean, he attended Cerulean School and graduated from Trigg County High School in 1947. He later studied electronics and worked in the repair shop at Modern Radio Service in Hopkinsville. He obtained his First Class Radio Telephone Operator’s License and began work at WPKY in Princeton in March 1950. In February 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served four years as a First Class Electronics Technician, repairing electronics equipment on ships and working part-time at WTAR-TV. After his honorable discharge in 1955, he returned to WPKY as morning personality “Uncle Willie” and performed various other duties. Recognizing the need for instant communication in Cadiz and Trigg County, several community business leaders joined forces to establish a local radio station, and on April 8, 1966, Wilson signed on the air at 11 a.m., broadcasting his show for the first time on WKDZ. As an original stockholder of Barkley Lake Broadcasting Co., he also served as general manager of WKDZ until the station was sold in 1986. He was inducted into the Kentucky Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2006.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at Goodwin Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow in Cerulean Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Cerulean Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 7, Cerulean, KY 42215. The service will be livestreamed on the funeral home’s YouTube channel.