David B. Wilson, 80; Globe columnist gave conservative perspective

DAVID B. WILSON

David B. Wilson, the voice of conservatism on the Globe's opinion page for 15 years who was known for his fairness to Republicans and Democrats alike, died Monday at South Shore Hospital of heart failure and cancer.

Mr. Wilson, 80, had been in failing health for several years and was living at Braintree Landing in Braintree.

His columns were always trenchant and sometimes whimsical. In a 1985 article headlined "How Reagan's Star Wars Got Its Name," he took credit for coining the more popular name for the Strategic Defense Initiative and even offered the lede for his own obituary: "David B. Wilson, the Boston Globe writer who introduced 'Star Wars' to the language of nuclear strategy, died . . . etc. etc. etc."

"As a columnist, Dave's philosophy was conservative, not right-wing," said Martin Nolan, former editorial page editor of the Globe, who had urged the paper to hire him. "He would rather jump off the dock at Castle Island than parrot partisan 'talking points.' He tried to find the other side's point of view."

Thomas Gagen, who was Op-Ed page editor from 1982 to 1987 and who now writes editorials, described Mr. Wilson as "a graceful writer and a graceful man."

Mr. Wilson made lasting friends on both sides of the political aisle. Former state Senate president William M. Bulger, a Democrat, had been a friend since the 1960s. Bulger said he sang Irish songs to Mr. Wilson by his hospital bed shortly before he died.

"There was absolutely no edge to him," he said yesterday by phone. "He had a strong point of view, but expressed it right down the middle."

Recently, Bulger said, Mr. Wilson's political views had "softened." Other friends said it was because of the Iraq war.

Former House speaker and state attorney general Robert Quinn, also a Democrat, described Mr. Wilson as "a wonderful gentleman with a great sense of humor."

"He had a different way of saying things that was very well-reasoned and well-balanced," Quinn said.

Even if Mr. Wilson might have attacked a Democratic agenda, Quinn said, "Dave never did enrage me because he basically believed that government was there to help people."

Mr. Wilson retired from the paper in 1990 after 25 years. But he kept in touch with his old newspaper and political friends by driving from his home in Stonington, Conn., to attend monthly meetings at Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain of an informal group he helped found called the ROMEO club, "Retired Opinion Makers Eating Out."

Mr. Wilson was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of William W. and Alice Wilson. After graduating from Garden City (N.Y.) High School in 1944, he entered Harvard College and graduated in 1948.

In 1954, Mr. Wilson married the former Constance Bauman. They lived in Kingston, Mass., before moving to Stonington.

He began his newspaper career at the Grand Rapids Press in Michigan, where he became acquainted with future president Gerald Ford. Mr. Wilson started as a general assignment reporter at the Globe in 1965.

Nolan, who had worked with him covering the State House, recommended him to the editor, Tom Winship. Nolan recalled, "Tom talked with him, found him a bit conservative. 'That's a plus, isn't it?' I asked. Tom laughed, agreed, and hired him."

During his newspaper career, Mr. Wilson also appeared on Channel 68's political panel show hosted by George Merry, Christian Science Monitor political writer.

"As a columnist, Dave wrote from the heart," Merry said. "He was a credit to his profession and to Boston journalism."

After his general assignment stint, Mr. Davis became the Globe's State House bureau chief for 13 years, then editorial writer and columnist. He also traveled through the Middle East for the paper and covered dignitaries.

Mr. Wilson loved his job, his family said.

"Dad spoke fondly of the time he gained access to the Onassis yacht the night [Aristotle Onassis] married Jacqueline Kennedy," said his daughter, Sarah Sloat of Halifax. "He was sent all over the world covering the most important stories of the time,"

In addition to his daughter and his wife, of Chittenango, N.Y., Mr. Wilson leaves two other daughters, Laura H. Wilson-Sirrico of Abington and Barbara Wilson of Chittenango; two brothers, John of Atlanta and Douglas of Irvington on Hudson, N.Y.; two grandsons; and one great-grandson.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. today at Cartmell Funeral Home in Plymouth.