Don Lewis Wilkins

Broker/Owner

Don L. Wilkins & Associates Inc.

U.S. Army veteran

BLACKSBURG – Don Lewis Wilkins, 61, Broker and Owner, Don L. Wilkins & Associates, Inc., died at his home at 139 Moss Farm Road in the B u f f a l o Community on Tuesday, June 28, 2005.

A native of Cherokee County, he was the son of Sara Westbrook Wilkins and the late Fred Simmons Wilkins Sr. He was the husband of Jane Bridges Wilkins for 39 years.

In addition to his wife, Jane, and his mother, he is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Jill Wilkins Strawn and Chad of Florence, S.C.; a son and daughter in-law, Brad Lewis Wilkins and Roxanne of Gaffney; a grandson, Alex Daniel Strawn, and a granddaughter, Emily Bridges Strawn, of Florence. He is also survived by two brothers, Fred S. Wilkins Jr. of Carlisle, S.C., and William S. Wilkins and wife, Harriet, of York, S.C.; two sisters, Suzanne W. Wylie and husband, Reginald, and Alice W. Phillips and husband, Benny, of Gaffney; mother-in-law, Nell Bridges of Blacksburg; a sister-in-law and her husband, Arthur and Linda Panther of Blacksburg and a brother-in-law and his wife, Johnny and Barbara Bridges of Lewisport, Ky.; and several

nieces and nephews.

Mr. Wilkins was a 1962

graduate of Blacksburg High School and

received a B.S. degree in horticulture from Clemson University in 1966. He was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 and received the Bronze Star medal for his service in the Vietnam War. Don was a member of the Blacksburg VFW Post No. 4941. He worked with the USDA Farmers Home Administration in Gaffney, Chester, Spartanburg and Greenville for 15 years and was the owner/broker of Don L. Wilkins & Associates, Inc., since 1987. Don was a respecter of persons and loved his work and the community he served.

He was a member of Grassy Pond Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday School teacher of the Adult Men's Class until his illness. Mr. Wilkins was a hunter, loved nature, the outdoors and his country. Don was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and he will be greatly missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, family and many friends.

The family will receive friends at Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home at Frederick Memorial Gardens today from 6-8 p.m.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 30, at 11 a.m. at Grassy Pond Baptist Church, conducted by Dr. Roger Aycock and the Rev. Martin Hogg. Burial with military honors will be in Frederick Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers are his nephews: Sam Hogue, Grady Hogue, Todd Panther, Jason Panther, Kelly Phillips, Clint Wilkins, Bill Wilkins and Jamie Wylie.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the South Carolina Hunters and Landowners for the Hungry, 507 Amelia Ave., Spartanburg, S.C. 29302.

The family is at the home.

Arrangements by Shuford