Mrs. Wilkes
"Good Lord, bless this food to us, and us to thy service." For 59 years, Mrs. Wilkes began each meal in her restaurant with this simple prayer. Sema Americus Wilkes, 95, died Thursday, October 31, at Hospice Savannah. Born in 1907 in Aimwell, GA, Sema was the first child of William Lawton and Emily Taylor Morris. When Sema was seven years old, her mother died. At that young age, Sema began cooking for her family and for the field hands who came to dinner. At sixteen, she married Lois Herman Wilkes, and they moved to Savannah in 1942. They settled at Mrs. Dixons boardinghouse and in 1943 bought the place from her, renaming it Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse. Gaining a reputation for its good home-cooked meals, it attracted both locals and travellers. Throughout the years, Mrs. Wilkes maintained the excellence and abundance of her simple country fare. As tourism in Savannah grew, people came from all over the world to taste her famous biscuits and fried chicken. Food critic Craig Claiborn said that her biscuits were "one of the greatest things ever to happen in my life." Her long list of culinary awards includes: The Southern Living Readers choice Award in 2000, the James Beard Americas Regional Classics Restaurant Award in 2000, The Traub Award for Excellence in Service to Savannahs Hospitality Industry in 1993, the Georgia Governors Conference on Tourism salute to Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse in 1993, Georgia Guardians Celebrate Savannah Award in 1991, and the Conde Nast Traveler Distinguished Restaurant Award in 1990. Mrs. Wilkes Southern style of cooking attracted worldwide recognition. She was invited to cook at the Kasteel Belvedere, a castle outside of Brussels, Belgium, in 1986. And in 1989 she taught Japanese grand chef Yoshinao Nagumo how to make Southern food during the Georgia Department of Industry and Trades Georgia on My Mind: American Homestyle Cooking promotion. Two books containing Mrs. Wilkes fabled recipes have been published: Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse , published in 1976, and Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse Cookbook: Recollections from Her Savannah Table , published in 2001. She was a member of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. She was pre-deceased by her husband, L. H. Wilkes and her son, James Carlton Wilkes. Survivors: her daughter, Margie Martin and son-in-law, F. W. Martin; a granddaughter, Marcia Thompson and grandson- in-law, Ronnie W. Thompson; and two great-grandchildren, Emily and Ryon Thompson, all of Savannah; and Mary Wilkes Lynn; niece, Sarah Morris Masters of Fayetteville, NC; nephew, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p. m. Sunday, November 3, at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel. Funeral: 11:00 a. m. Monday, November 4, at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. Burial: Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, following the funeral. Pallbearers are James Kenneth Lynn, Wilbur W. Masters III, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr., Captain David Robert Randolph, Candler Martin Wilson, and James Corde Wilson III. Honorary pallbearers are the Wesley Monumental Fellowship Class. Remembrances: Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church or Hospice Savannah. Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel Savannah Morning News, November 2, 2002
"Good Lord, bless this food to us, and us to thy service." For 59 years, Mrs. Wilkes began each meal in her restaurant with this simple prayer. Sema Americus Wilkes, 95, died Thursday, October 31, at Hospice Savannah. Born in 1907 in Aimwell, GA, Sema was the first child of William Lawton and Emily Taylor Morris. When Sema was seven years old, her mother died. At that young age, Sema began cooking for her family and for the field hands who came to dinner. At sixteen, she married Lois Herman Wilkes, and they moved to Savannah in 1942. They settled at Mrs. Dixons boardinghouse and in 1943 bought the place from her, renaming it Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse. Gaining a reputation for its good home-cooked meals, it attracted both locals and travellers. Throughout the years, Mrs. Wilkes maintained the excellence and abundance of her simple country fare. As tourism in Savannah grew, people came from all over the world to taste her famous biscuits and fried chicken. Food critic Craig Claiborn said that her biscuits were "one of the greatest things ever to happen in my life." Her long list of culinary awards includes: The Southern Living Readers choice Award in 2000, the James Beard Americas Regional Classics Restaurant Award in 2000, The Traub Award for Excellence in Service to Savannahs Hospitality Industry in 1993, the Georgia Governors Conference on Tourism salute to Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse in 1993, Georgia Guardians Celebrate Savannah Award in 1991, and the Conde Nast Traveler Distinguished Restaurant Award in 1990. Mrs. Wilkes Southern style of cooking attracted worldwide recognition. She was invited to cook at the Kasteel Belvedere, a castle outside of Brussels, Belgium, in 1986. And in 1989 she taught Japanese grand chef Yoshinao Nagumo how to make Southern food during the Georgia Department of Industry and Trades Georgia on My Mind: American Homestyle Cooking promotion. Two books containing Mrs. Wilkes fabled recipes have been published: Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse , published in 1976, and Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse Cookbook: Recollections from Her Savannah Table , published in 2001. She was a member of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. She was pre-deceased by her husband, L. H. Wilkes and her son, James Carlton Wilkes. Survivors: her daughter, Margie Martin and son-in-law, F. W. Martin; a granddaughter, Marcia Thompson and grandson- in-law, Ronnie W. Thompson; and two great-grandchildren, Emily and Ryon Thompson, all of Savannah; and Mary Wilkes Lynn; niece, Sarah Morris Masters of Fayetteville, NC; nephew, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p. m. Sunday, November 3, at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel. Funeral: 11:00 a. m. Monday, November 4, at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. Burial: Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, following the funeral. Pallbearers are James Kenneth Lynn, Wilbur W. Masters III, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr., Captain David Robert Randolph, Candler Martin Wilson, and James Corde Wilson III. Honorary pallbearers are the Wesley Monumental Fellowship Class. Remembrances: Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church or Hospice Savannah. Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel Savannah Morning News, November 2, 2002
Mrs. Wilkes
"Good Lord, bless this food to us, and us to thy service." For 59 years, Mrs. Wilkes began each meal in her restaurant with this simple prayer. Sema Americus Wilkes, 95, died Thursday, October 31, at Hospice Savannah. Born in 1907 in Aimwell, GA, Sema was the first child of William Lawton and Emily Taylor Morris. When Sema was seven years old, her mother died. At that young age, Sema began cooking for her family and for the field hands who came to dinner. At sixteen, she married Lois Herman Wilkes, and they moved to Savannah in 1942. They settled at Mrs. Dixons boardinghouse and in 1943 bought the place from her, renaming it Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse. Gaining a reputation for its good home-cooked meals, it attracted both locals and travellers. Throughout the years, Mrs. Wilkes maintained the excellence and abundance of her simple country fare. As tourism in Savannah grew, people came from all over the world to taste her famous biscuits and fried chicken. Food critic Craig Claiborn said that her biscuits were "one of the greatest things ever to happen in my life." Her long list of culinary awards includes: The Southern Living Readers choice Award in 2000, the James Beard Americas Regional Classics Restaurant Award in 2000, The Traub Award for Excellence in Service to Savannahs Hospitality Industry in 1993, the Georgia Governors Conference on Tourism salute to Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse in 1993, Georgia Guardians Celebrate Savannah Award in 1991, and the Conde Nast Traveler Distinguished Restaurant Award in 1990. Mrs. Wilkes Southern style of cooking attracted worldwide recognition. She was invited to cook at the Kasteel Belvedere, a castle outside of Brussels, Belgium, in 1986. And in 1989 she taught Japanese grand chef Yoshinao Nagumo how to make Southern food during the Georgia Department of Industry and Trades Georgia on My Mind: American Homestyle Cooking promotion. Two books containing Mrs. Wilkes fabled recipes have been published: Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse , published in 1976, and Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse Cookbook: Recollections from Her Savannah Table , published in 2001. She was a member of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. She was pre-deceased by her husband, L. H. Wilkes and her son, James Carlton Wilkes. Survivors: her daughter, Margie Martin and son-in-law, F. W. Martin; a granddaughter, Marcia Thompson and grandson- in-law, Ronnie W. Thompson; and two great-grandchildren, Emily and Ryon Thompson, all of Savannah; and Mary Wilkes Lynn; niece, Sarah Morris Masters of Fayetteville, NC; nephew, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p. m. Sunday, November 3, at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel. Funeral: 11:00 a. m. Monday, November 4, at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. Burial: Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, following the funeral. Pallbearers are James Kenneth Lynn, Wilbur W. Masters III, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr., Captain David Robert Randolph, Candler Martin Wilson, and James Corde Wilson III. Honorary pallbearers are the Wesley Monumental Fellowship Class. Remembrances: Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church or Hospice Savannah. Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel Savannah Morning News, November 2, 2002
"Good Lord, bless this food to us, and us to thy service." For 59 years, Mrs. Wilkes began each meal in her restaurant with this simple prayer. Sema Americus Wilkes, 95, died Thursday, October 31, at Hospice Savannah. Born in 1907 in Aimwell, GA, Sema was the first child of William Lawton and Emily Taylor Morris. When Sema was seven years old, her mother died. At that young age, Sema began cooking for her family and for the field hands who came to dinner. At sixteen, she married Lois Herman Wilkes, and they moved to Savannah in 1942. They settled at Mrs. Dixons boardinghouse and in 1943 bought the place from her, renaming it Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse. Gaining a reputation for its good home-cooked meals, it attracted both locals and travellers. Throughout the years, Mrs. Wilkes maintained the excellence and abundance of her simple country fare. As tourism in Savannah grew, people came from all over the world to taste her famous biscuits and fried chicken. Food critic Craig Claiborn said that her biscuits were "one of the greatest things ever to happen in my life." Her long list of culinary awards includes: The Southern Living Readers choice Award in 2000, the James Beard Americas Regional Classics Restaurant Award in 2000, The Traub Award for Excellence in Service to Savannahs Hospitality Industry in 1993, the Georgia Governors Conference on Tourism salute to Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse in 1993, Georgia Guardians Celebrate Savannah Award in 1991, and the Conde Nast Traveler Distinguished Restaurant Award in 1990. Mrs. Wilkes Southern style of cooking attracted worldwide recognition. She was invited to cook at the Kasteel Belvedere, a castle outside of Brussels, Belgium, in 1986. And in 1989 she taught Japanese grand chef Yoshinao Nagumo how to make Southern food during the Georgia Department of Industry and Trades Georgia on My Mind: American Homestyle Cooking promotion. Two books containing Mrs. Wilkes fabled recipes have been published: Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse , published in 1976, and Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse Cookbook: Recollections from Her Savannah Table , published in 2001. She was a member of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. She was pre-deceased by her husband, L. H. Wilkes and her son, James Carlton Wilkes. Survivors: her daughter, Margie Martin and son-in-law, F. W. Martin; a granddaughter, Marcia Thompson and grandson- in-law, Ronnie W. Thompson; and two great-grandchildren, Emily and Ryon Thompson, all of Savannah; and Mary Wilkes Lynn; niece, Sarah Morris Masters of Fayetteville, NC; nephew, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p. m. Sunday, November 3, at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel. Funeral: 11:00 a. m. Monday, November 4, at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. Burial: Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, following the funeral. Pallbearers are James Kenneth Lynn, Wilbur W. Masters III, Lawton Floyd Morris, Jr., Captain David Robert Randolph, Candler Martin Wilson, and James Corde Wilson III. Honorary pallbearers are the Wesley Monumental Fellowship Class. Remembrances: Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church or Hospice Savannah. Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors Hodgson Chapel Savannah Morning News, November 2, 2002
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