Dr. John Lennox Wilson, 82, died May 30, 2023. Raised in New York City, he was the son of the late Robert and Gladys Wilson.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Tufts and moved on to Yale to complete his master’s degree and most of his doctoral work.

He joined Lehigh University faculty in 1982, after time with the University of Pennsylvania and the Sun Corporation. He built the first computational laboratory in the civil and environmental engineering department, known as the computer-aided engineering lab.

He was part of the leadership group that won a prestigious National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center grant that created the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems Engineering Research Center at Lehigh in 1986. He was associate director for research of the ATLSS Center for 10 years.

His own research at Lehigh in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s focused on software at the interface of structural design and fabrication, a forerunner of today’s Building Information Modeling Systems; and on software to support inspection and maintenance of bridges. These software systems were early applications of artificial intelligence concepts in structural engineering.

He led the structural engineering faculty and was graduate program director in the department of civil and environmental engineering at Lehigh for almost two decades.

He enjoyed taking his children to ballgames, teaching them math, exposing them to culture and traveling. He enjoyed vacationing with his family in the Poconos and Ocean City, N.J.

He was an active member of Lehigh Country Club.

He is survived by a daughter, Hillary; son, Robert; son-in-law, Kevin; daughter-in-law, Eelin; grandchildren, Alexandra, Kalei, Cristina and Annabelle; fiance, Bette; many friends.

Contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse.

Funeral services will be held June 9 at Faith Church, 6528 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown. The calling will begin 10 a.m. followed by a service 11 a.m. Arrangements were made by the Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Homes, Allentown.