Obituary For Thomas George Wilkinson
March 15, 1936 – August 21, 2022
Dr. Thomas George “Doc” Wilkinson passed away August 22, 2022.
Born March 15, 1936, in Durham North Carolina, Tom was preceded in death by his mother Blannie George Wilkinson (Peggy), Father Thomas N. Wilkinson and sister Margot Ann Wilkinson.
Tom is survived by his sons: Thomas George Wilkinson Jr (wife Dawn Wilkinson) and Joseph Mark Wilkinson (wife Amy Wilkinson) and two grandchildren Joshua Mark Wilkinson and Meredith Leigh Wilkinson. Tom is also survived by his sister Sylvia Jean Wilkinson of Mesquite NV.
Tom’s passions were shooting, reloading, forestry, and photography. His education included a Master’s in Forestry and a Ph. D. in Forestry Biochemistry both from Duke University. During his career, he worked for both the NC Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service. He created an amazing forestry program for Southern Durham High School and taught the program for 17 years. His students always called him “Doc”, and he was greatly loved by them for his wit and intellect.
Tom married Charlotte Ann McDougal June 13, 1959. Together they had two sons: Thomas George Wilkinson Jr, and Joseph Mark Wilkinson. The family grew up on Tom’s father’s farm in Durham N.C. where the boys were able to experience many of the benefits of living and working on a farm including baling hay, mowing, fishing, shooting, growing corn, cutting and splitting firewood, construction work as well as mechanical work of all kinds.
Tom was an extremely capable man who could build anything, fix anything and drive anything. It seems he knew something about almost everything. He was extremely well read, and his amazing memory allowed him to retain and teach anything that interested him.
For two summers Tom took his family for trips across the country to experience the wonders of this country’s National Parks. The trips were made pulling a travel trailer thousands of miles and camping in different campgrounds along the way. They were great adventures.
After his divorce from Charlotte, Tom married Kim Dills who had been a student of his at Southern High School. Kim shared his passion for forestry and eventually worked as an executive for a large timber company. Tom and Kim moved several times for her career, eventually making their way to Grande Cache then Grande Prairie, Canada.
While in Canada Tom and Kim bought a house with land and enjoyed the outdoors and solitude offered in Grande Prairie. Tom joined the local shooting club and made several friends there and elsewhere and always enjoyed their comradery greatly.
After Tom and Kim divorced, Tom remained in Grande Prairie for the rest of his life. He was a unique man and will truly be missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home 780 830 7742 bearcreekfuneral.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Thomas George Wilkinson 15/03/1936 21/08/2022..
Death notice for the town of: Grande-Prairie, Province: Alberta