Quentin Wilson
Quentin Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 21, 1942 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Big Creek High School, Marshall University |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Known for | one of the original Rocket Boys |
Quentin Wilson (born November 21, 1942 in William Poca, West Virginia) is an American engineer and is one of the original Rocket Boys. His character in the Universal Pictures film "October Sky" was played by Chris Owen. He currently resides in Amarillo, Texas.
Biography
Wilson was born to Eston and Jessie Richardson Wilson, who had migrated to the West Virginia coalfields from subsistence farms in Carter County, Tennessee during the Great Depression. The Wilsons had eight children, four sons and four daughters. Only six survived to adulthood, of which Quentin was third oldest, and eldest son.
Wilson attended Big Creek High School with Homer Hickam. He and three friends built a rocket for the National Science Fair that won Hickam a scholarship.[1]
After graduating from Big Creek, he attended Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia graduating with a major in Chemistry.[2] He came to Texas to find work in the oil business. He settled in Amarillo in 1973 with Santa Fe Energy and now is an independent engineer married to Janice Birkholz. Wilson has three daughters[1] and travels extensively speaking about the rocket boys' childhood.[3]
References
- ^ a b Chip Chandler (February 19, 1999). "'When I grow up...'". Amarillo News.
- ^ Quentin Wilson bio
- ^ Liz Everett (November 14, 2000). "Students prepare for upcoming lecture by Hickam". Amarillo News.