Mary Frances [Reger] Wilkinson 1909-2006

REGER, WILKINSON, RUDIBAUGH, ELLIS, CRAIG, PATTERSON, THOMAS, FRAZIER, JOHNSON, YOUNG, ODOM

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 10/20/2011 at 12:05:15

Deaths:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Wednesday, March 29, 2006)

WILKINSON, Mary Frances Reger, 96, died February 24, 2006 in Long Beach, California. In accordance with her expressed wishes, formal services were limited to a private committal service on March 2, at Fort Rosencrans National Cemetery at Pt. Loma in San Diego, CA, where she was buried beside her husband.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Wednesday, March 29, 2006)

MARY FRANCES REGER WILKINSON ... Mary Frances Reger Wilkinson, age 96, died on February 24, 2006, due to natural causes in Long Beach, California, her home since 1942. A native Iowan descended from pioneer families, she was born in rural Davis City Iowa, New Buda Township, on October 17, 1909. She was the daughter of Francis and Georgia Rudibaugh Reger, granddaughter of William A. and Mary Olive Ellis Reger and Charles l. and Orlena Craig Rudibaugh, and great granddaughter of William F. and Roscene Patterson Craig and George W. and Mary Jane Thomas Rudibaugh.

Mary Frances attended the Liberty one-room school prior and during World War I where her aunt Lois Rudibaugh was one of her teachers. She later attended the Davis City School and graduated from Iowa City High School in 1926. She earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of Iowa and a Masters in Social Work in 1939.

Her career, which spanned almost 50 years, included positions with the Iowa City School system, University of Iowa child Welfare Research Station, American National Red Cross Military and Navy Welfare (World War II), California State Department of Welfare, and lastly, Los Angeles County Children's Services from which she retired in 1974 after 25 years of service. Her retirement years were devoted largely to various volunteer services (over 25 years with Long Beach Memorial Hospital) and genealogy research. At the time of her death, she was a member of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Long Beach Questing Heirs, and a past member of other numerous genealogical societies. Her genealogy research culminated with the compilation of the volume "Ancestral Record Book - Reger/Ellis/Rudibaugh/Craig and Those Who Joined by Marriage". On her 90th birthday, she donated the book to the Leon Public Library in the county seat of Decatur County, Iowa, for the benefit of the descendants.

Mary Frances was united in marriage in 1934 to Bernard R. Wilkinson of Iowa City. He served in the South Pacific during WWII where he was wounded in Okinawa on April 19, 1945 and received the Bronze Star. At the time of his death on July 2, 1962, he was employed by the Long Beach Harbor Department. to this union was born one son, George R. in 1948. In addition to her husband, Mary Frances was predeceased by her son on April 23, 1993, her parents in 1970 and 1974, her brother Col. Charles K. Reger, D.D.S. in 2001, and his wife Marjorie Frazier Reger in 2000. Survivors include her former daughter-in-law, Marie Wilkinson Johnson and her husband Dave Johnson of Long Beach, CA; three nieces, Marjorie (Dr. Marcus) Young of San Angelo, TX, Jane (Richard) Odom of Lake Sherwood, CA, and Mary Reger of White Horse, Yukon, Canada; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.