Willard Tracy Wilkins 1878-1935

WILKINS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/21/2012 at 00:18:46

W. Wilkins is Called
Funeral Services To Be Held Saturday at Methodist Episcopal Church
William T. Wilkins, 57, Rock Island conductor, passed away yesterday afternoon at the Coleman hospital, where he has been confined since Oct. 2. Mr. Wilkins took sick on the first of October and underwent an operation on the following day. He underwent his second operation on Armistice day.

Mr. Wilkins has been employed by the Rock Island railway company for the past 35 years and has been a resident of this city off and on for almost 30 years. For the past six years, Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins have been living in Estherville.

Funeral services will probably be held Saturday afternoon in the Methodist Episcopal church, although the arrangements are not definite. Burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery.

He is survived by his wife, one son, Louis in Yakima, Wash., three children in this city, Kenneth and the twins, Gerald and Geraldine, and by one brother, George of Odebolt. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, November 14, 1935)

Willard T. [Tracy] Wilkins, a pioneer Rock Island railroad man, passed away at the Coleman hospital Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Wilkins had undergone a very serious operation some time ago and seemed to be improving nicely, although it was known his chances of getting well were not the best. He was to have gone to the hospital last Saturday, but told friends he wanted to spend the Sunday with his family and went back on Monday to prepare for the second operation he knew he was to have. He failed rapidly and passed away yesterday.

Mr. Wilkins was a real railroad man. He had years of experience and was considered one of the best. He was beloved by all the men on the system who knew him. A fine disposition and always friendly to all.

He leaves a wife and a small son and twins to mourn his death. As we go to press we find that final arrangements have not been made for the funeral services, although it is a settled fact they will be held Saturday. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, November 13, 1935)

The friends of the W.T. Wilkins family, who formerly lived here, but now live in Estherville, will be sorry to hear that Mr. Wilkins passed away last week after being ill for 8 weeks. (Buffalo Center Tribune, Buffalo Center, IA, November 21, 1935)

Note: Per WWI Draft record, Birth 1876; per cemetery stone, 1878