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Ronald
Dean Wilkins |
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Ronald Dean Wilkins, Colonel, U.S. Army,
Ret. died Monday, December 11, 2000, Anno Domini. The son of Irene
Hunter Wilkins and Guy Ernest Wilkins, he was born on September 16,
1931 in Enid, Oklahoma and passed away two months before he and his
wife, Gloria Jeanne Wilkins, were to celebrate their 50th Wedding
Anniversary. After earning the rank of Eagle Scout and before his
graduation from Enid High School in 1949, Wilkins enlisted in the
Oklahoma National Guard. He served in the Korean Conflict in the 189th
Artillery Battalion of the 45th "Thunderbird" Division. He
married his high school sweetheart, Gloria Jeanne Paulk, in February
1951. Upon his return from Japan, the couple moved to Stillwater,
Oklahoma where he later earned his B.S. Engineering degree at Oklahoma
State University, "Oklahoma A&M".
In 1954, Wilkins began his 47-year career in the oilfield industry
that includes numerous patents in the design and improvements of ball
valves. As Vice President of Operations for W-K-M Bryan (Texas), he
built and managed the plant that manufactured the high-pressure
butterfly valve that he patented and designed. Ten of these years were
involved with licensing, operations and management of manufacturing
facilities across the Far East, Australia and the Former Soviet Union.
After retirement from Cooper Industries, he consulted on numerous
deepwater oil & gas exploration and development projects for
McDermott and Stolt Offshore, Inc. Following the Korean Conflict,
Colonel Wilkins remained active in the U.S. Army Reserves. In 1970, he
was attached to Houston's 75th MAC, and led a number of regional
maneuvers in North America, serving as Director/Command Controller of
Combat Exercises. He was decorated with the Legion of Merit, the
Meritorious Service Award and was inducted into the Honorable Order of
Saint Barbara prior to his retirement from the military in 1983. Upon
his death, he was serving as the President of the 189th Field
Artillery Association.
Colonel Wilkins is survived by his wife and four children: Timothy
Wilkins, his wife Nancy Grinaker Wilkins, grandchildren Jennifer and
Daniel Camp and Jeffrey of Sugar Land, Texas; Kelly Wilkins, his wife
Laura, grandchildren Russell and Marissa Lorenz Wilkins, Lydia,
Rebecca, Samuel, Stephen, Jonathan, Abigail, Daniel and Martha of
Spring, Texas; Susan Wilkins Newell, her husband Michael,
grandchildren David and Dianne of Austin, Texas; and Nancy Dianne
Wilkins of Houston. Colonel Wilkins is also survived by his sister,
Norma Garrett of Kansas City, Missouri and the John M. Wilkins family
of Nash, Oklahoma. He is preceded in death by his mother, father and
Uncle Neal Wilkins.
Ron was a member of the Christ United Methodist Church where a
memorial celebration of his life was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday,
December 15, 2000. Interment with full military honors will take place
at Arlington National Cemetery on January 3, 2001 at 1100 hours. In
lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations to The Ronald D. Wilkins
Memorial Trust, c/o Southern National Bank, 14060 Southwest Freeway in
Sugar Land, TX 77478.
Funeral arrangements by The Settegast-Kopf Co. at Sugar Creek,
15015 Southwest Frwy, Sugar Land, TX 77478, (281) 565-5015, (281)
565-1075 fax.
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