Ernest Wilson, a retired U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) official, died Aug. 10, 2016, of complications from Alzheimer’s. He was 91.

Wilson served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. In 1949, he graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He then joined the Chicago Housing Authority and became its chief accountant. In 1962, he began his career with USAID.

During 1975 to 1976, he was a Mid-Career Fellow at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School. At USAID, Wilson served in senior accounting positions in Ethiopia, Brazil, Guatemala, Ghana, and Kenya. In 1977 he became the African bureau chief of the USAID loan division. His last overseas assignment was in 1981 as the associate director of financial management for USAID/Egypt. That year, Wilson was appointed Counselor Officer/Secretary in the U.S. Foreign Service; he retired in 1984.

Wilson then became director of management for International House in New York City. After three years, he returned to USAID as a consultant, and for almost 15 years he traveled for audits and filled in for vacationing staff at USAID offices in many countries.

He is survived by Merry, his wife of 66 years; a son; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.