Delano "Del" Dee Wilson

They Were Very Good Years

Delano D. Wilson, 92, of Great Falls, Montana passed away peacefully on May 26, 2026. He was a beloved father and friend to many in Montana and New York, where he spent a large part of his life.

Del was born in 1934 to Bill and Alvina Wilson, the youngest of three brothers including Bill, Bob and Del. His parents instilled the values of integrity and service, which carried him through a life of achievement and support to hospitals and organizations. His grandfather, Marlin, was his best friend throughout his childhood, until he passed at 99 when Del got out of the Army. Del graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Electrical Engineering and moved to the East Coast in 1959.

He married Marilyn Harant from Black Eagle that year. They soon settled in Schenectady, New York where they lived until 1995. He worked for General Electric as a director of R&D until 1974, when he moved to Power Technologies Inc for the rest of his career. He started as Principal Engineer, eventually rising to President and CEO of PTI and several of its subsidiaries. He traveled extensively developing utility systems and software, making PTI one of the top power grid technology companies in the world. Along the way he became a Fellow at the industry group IEEE, authored six books and 65 technical papers, registered two patents, and taught university graduate courses. He sat on Boards at various hospitals, YMCAs, Rotary Clubs, and Chambers of Commerce. In Great Falls he was a volunteer at CASA, protecting the rights of abused and neglected children.

In 1995, Del and Marilyn returned to Montana, where he spent the next 30 years with family and friends. They made many trips around the world with NY friends, the Trombleys, and Del spent his time maintaining his cabin in the mountains near Cascade, MT. He was a devoted member of his Wednesday night social club at the OP with friends he’d known since his school days, a collector of vintage cars and western artwork, and a big Frank Sinatra fan. His favorite song was “A Very Good Year.”

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children, David, Leslie, and Chris; grandchildren, David, Chase and Wil, Ethan, CJ, and Seth. We all miss him.