Obituary for Richard Samuel Wilkins
Richard Samuel Wilkins, 96, a longtime resident of Provo, Utah passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 in Provo.
He was born September 4, 1922 in Auglaize Township, Allen County, Ohio to Vernon Thayer Wilkins and Laura Estelle Baughman.
He was raised and educated in Harrod, Ohio. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corp 10th Air Force at the beginning of WWII. He flew the China-Burma-India Hump and was shot down in Burma in 1943, but led his crew out to safety. Following the war, he attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1949 from Ohio Northern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). He was active in several engineering fraternities and professional societies.
Following graduation, he worked for General Electric in Schenectady, New York; Fairbanks-Morse in Los Angeles, California; and C.W. Sterling in Salt Lake City, before he established Electrical Sales Company with his partner, Keith Dibble. He retired in 1999, after forty-three years. He once commented that he had the best career anyone could have had. In retirement, he continued to work on designs and patented several of his inventions. He was actively working on five patents at the time of his death.
He was a member of Illumination Engineering Society, Institute of Electrical Engineers, Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, the China-Burma-India Hump Pilots Association, and Alpine Country Club.
He married Helen Elizabeth Thomas Watson in 1955 and along with her three children, Thomas Henry, Richard Earl and Kathy Elizabeth, made a home in Provo, Utah. They later had a daughter, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon.
He is survived by his daughters, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon (Todd) of Bismarck, North Dakota and Kathy E. Watson Swapp (Gerald) of Sandy, Utah; grandchildren, Porter W. Dixon, Lowell W. Dixon, Kathlyn A. Dixon, Kristy L. Swapp Okunade (Temitayo), Tracy Swapp Avery (Marc), Thomas J. Swapp (Shelley), Steven G. Swapp, Richard H. Swapp (Erin), and Jenny E. Swapp Benedict (Eric); twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Max L. Shrider (Jean), Robert E. Wilkins (Joann), Thomas L. Wilkins (Sue), James Wilkins (Rita); and sister, Emilie Huntsman (Clair).
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; mother, Laura Baughman; father, V.T. Wilkins; stepmothers, Estella Fisher Wilkins and Esther Gottschalk Wilkins; brothers, Orville H. Wilkins, Ora M. Wilkins, Melvin F. Wilkins, and Martin F. Wilkins; sister, Rose V. Roberts; and stepsons, Thomas H. Watson and Richard E. Watson.
A strong advocate of higher education and quietly giving others a hand up, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a college scholarship fund, homeless shelter, or food pantry of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.
Richard Samuel Wilkins, 96, a longtime resident of Provo, Utah passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 in Provo.
He was born September 4, 1922 in Auglaize Township, Allen County, Ohio to Vernon Thayer Wilkins and Laura Estelle Baughman.
He was raised and educated in Harrod, Ohio. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corp 10th Air Force at the beginning of WWII. He flew the China-Burma-India Hump and was shot down in Burma in 1943, but led his crew out to safety. Following the war, he attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1949 from Ohio Northern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). He was active in several engineering fraternities and professional societies.
Following graduation, he worked for General Electric in Schenectady, New York; Fairbanks-Morse in Los Angeles, California; and C.W. Sterling in Salt Lake City, before he established Electrical Sales Company with his partner, Keith Dibble. He retired in 1999, after forty-three years. He once commented that he had the best career anyone could have had. In retirement, he continued to work on designs and patented several of his inventions. He was actively working on five patents at the time of his death.
He was a member of Illumination Engineering Society, Institute of Electrical Engineers, Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, the China-Burma-India Hump Pilots Association, and Alpine Country Club.
He married Helen Elizabeth Thomas Watson in 1955 and along with her three children, Thomas Henry, Richard Earl and Kathy Elizabeth, made a home in Provo, Utah. They later had a daughter, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon.
He is survived by his daughters, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon (Todd) of Bismarck, North Dakota and Kathy E. Watson Swapp (Gerald) of Sandy, Utah; grandchildren, Porter W. Dixon, Lowell W. Dixon, Kathlyn A. Dixon, Kristy L. Swapp Okunade (Temitayo), Tracy Swapp Avery (Marc), Thomas J. Swapp (Shelley), Steven G. Swapp, Richard H. Swapp (Erin), and Jenny E. Swapp Benedict (Eric); twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Max L. Shrider (Jean), Robert E. Wilkins (Joann), Thomas L. Wilkins (Sue), James Wilkins (Rita); and sister, Emilie Huntsman (Clair).
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; mother, Laura Baughman; father, V.T. Wilkins; stepmothers, Estella Fisher Wilkins and Esther Gottschalk Wilkins; brothers, Orville H. Wilkins, Ora M. Wilkins, Melvin F. Wilkins, and Martin F. Wilkins; sister, Rose V. Roberts; and stepsons, Thomas H. Watson and Richard E. Watson.
A strong advocate of higher education and quietly giving others a hand up, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a college scholarship fund, homeless shelter, or food pantry of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.
Obituary for Richard Samuel Wilkins
Richard Samuel Wilkins, 96, a longtime resident of Provo, Utah passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 in Provo.
He was born September 4, 1922 in Auglaize Township, Allen County, Ohio to Vernon Thayer Wilkins and Laura Estelle Baughman.
He was raised and educated in Harrod, Ohio. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corp 10th Air Force at the beginning of WWII. He flew the China-Burma-India Hump and was shot down in Burma in 1943, but led his crew out to safety. Following the war, he attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1949 from Ohio Northern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). He was active in several engineering fraternities and professional societies.
Following graduation, he worked for General Electric in Schenectady, New York; Fairbanks-Morse in Los Angeles, California; and C.W. Sterling in Salt Lake City, before he established Electrical Sales Company with his partner, Keith Dibble. He retired in 1999, after forty-three years. He once commented that he had the best career anyone could have had. In retirement, he continued to work on designs and patented several of his inventions. He was actively working on five patents at the time of his death.
He was a member of Illumination Engineering Society, Institute of Electrical Engineers, Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, the China-Burma-India Hump Pilots Association, and Alpine Country Club.
He married Helen Elizabeth Thomas Watson in 1955 and along with her three children, Thomas Henry, Richard Earl and Kathy Elizabeth, made a home in Provo, Utah. They later had a daughter, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon.
He is survived by his daughters, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon (Todd) of Bismarck, North Dakota and Kathy E. Watson Swapp (Gerald) of Sandy, Utah; grandchildren, Porter W. Dixon, Lowell W. Dixon, Kathlyn A. Dixon, Kristy L. Swapp Okunade (Temitayo), Tracy Swapp Avery (Marc), Thomas J. Swapp (Shelley), Steven G. Swapp, Richard H. Swapp (Erin), and Jenny E. Swapp Benedict (Eric); twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Max L. Shrider (Jean), Robert E. Wilkins (Joann), Thomas L. Wilkins (Sue), James Wilkins (Rita); and sister, Emilie Huntsman (Clair).
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; mother, Laura Baughman; father, V.T. Wilkins; stepmothers, Estella Fisher Wilkins and Esther Gottschalk Wilkins; brothers, Orville H. Wilkins, Ora M. Wilkins, Melvin F. Wilkins, and Martin F. Wilkins; sister, Rose V. Roberts; and stepsons, Thomas H. Watson and Richard E. Watson.
A strong advocate of higher education and quietly giving others a hand up, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a college scholarship fund, homeless shelter, or food pantry of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.
Richard Samuel Wilkins, 96, a longtime resident of Provo, Utah passed away on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 in Provo.
He was born September 4, 1922 in Auglaize Township, Allen County, Ohio to Vernon Thayer Wilkins and Laura Estelle Baughman.
He was raised and educated in Harrod, Ohio. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corp 10th Air Force at the beginning of WWII. He flew the China-Burma-India Hump and was shot down in Burma in 1943, but led his crew out to safety. Following the war, he attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1949 from Ohio Northern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). He was active in several engineering fraternities and professional societies.
Following graduation, he worked for General Electric in Schenectady, New York; Fairbanks-Morse in Los Angeles, California; and C.W. Sterling in Salt Lake City, before he established Electrical Sales Company with his partner, Keith Dibble. He retired in 1999, after forty-three years. He once commented that he had the best career anyone could have had. In retirement, he continued to work on designs and patented several of his inventions. He was actively working on five patents at the time of his death.
He was a member of Illumination Engineering Society, Institute of Electrical Engineers, Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, the China-Burma-India Hump Pilots Association, and Alpine Country Club.
He married Helen Elizabeth Thomas Watson in 1955 and along with her three children, Thomas Henry, Richard Earl and Kathy Elizabeth, made a home in Provo, Utah. They later had a daughter, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon.
He is survived by his daughters, Lynne Ann Wilkins Dixon (Todd) of Bismarck, North Dakota and Kathy E. Watson Swapp (Gerald) of Sandy, Utah; grandchildren, Porter W. Dixon, Lowell W. Dixon, Kathlyn A. Dixon, Kristy L. Swapp Okunade (Temitayo), Tracy Swapp Avery (Marc), Thomas J. Swapp (Shelley), Steven G. Swapp, Richard H. Swapp (Erin), and Jenny E. Swapp Benedict (Eric); twelve great-grandchildren; brothers, Max L. Shrider (Jean), Robert E. Wilkins (Joann), Thomas L. Wilkins (Sue), James Wilkins (Rita); and sister, Emilie Huntsman (Clair).
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; mother, Laura Baughman; father, V.T. Wilkins; stepmothers, Estella Fisher Wilkins and Esther Gottschalk Wilkins; brothers, Orville H. Wilkins, Ora M. Wilkins, Melvin F. Wilkins, and Martin F. Wilkins; sister, Rose V. Roberts; and stepsons, Thomas H. Watson and Richard E. Watson.
A strong advocate of higher education and quietly giving others a hand up, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a college scholarship fund, homeless shelter, or food pantry of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.
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