Wilkins, Elizabeth L. 1911-2006

WILKINS, MCATEER, CLOSE, HUNTER, CROWE, DENEMARK

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 6/6/2012 at 10:32:09

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

ELIZABETH L. WILKINS

Elizabeth L. Wilkins, 94, of Grinnell died Thursday, April 6, 2006, at St. Francis Manor.

A funeral service was held Saturday, April 8, at Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Raymond Lott officiating. Music was provided by Kathleen McCune, pianist, and Matt Meldrem, harmonica. Casket bearers were her grandchildren, Tammy Denemark and Chad, Tracy, Mike, Matt and Nick Wilkins. Interment was in Westfield Cemetery, rural Grinnell. Memorials may be made to Westfield Cemetery and sent in care of Smith Funeral Home.

She was born June 5, 1911, in Old Stone Muckamore, Grange County, North Ireland, to Charles and Sara McAteer Close. She came to the United States with her grandmother, arriving at Ellis Island on March 25, 1913. She was raised on her grandmother's farm near Newburg and attended rural school. She was married on Dec. 4, 1937 to Denton Wilkins at Unionville, Mo. The couple farmed in the Bethel area near Lynnville and in 1963 moved to an acreage in the Westfield area south of Grinnell. The majority of her life was spent as a homemaker including ten years working in the housekeeping department at Grinnell College.

She was a member of Westfield Church and enjoyed gardening, baking and watching sports events, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was a huge fan of Coach Tom Davis.

She is survived by two sons, Robert Wilkins and Jim Wilkins, both of Grinnell; six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband; one grandson Austin Wilkins; two brothers, Robert and William (Buster) McAteer; three half brothers, Sammie, Charles and Tom Close; one sister, Mae Hunter and one half sister, Sadie Crowe.