Alice Geralidine Johnston Wilkins

February 16, 2013

Alice Geraldine Johnston Wilkins, 88, of Pensacola, passed away Saturday, February 9, 2013. Mrs. Wilkins was born in Brewton, to Kathryn Jordan and W.T. Johnston, she started life on a farm outside of Flomaton. The family moved to Jackson, MS where she graduated from Central High School in 1941. Upon graduation she boarded a train to California, a bold and gutsy move for a penniless 18 year old, with no connections in the West. The courage she demonstrated in 1941 was only one indication of her life to come as part of the greatest generation. She began working as a civil service typist during WWII for the Army Corp of Engineers and Army Air Corp.

In 1950, she married Sgt. George S. Wilkins and continued, as a mother of two, working for the Air Force. She worked onboard NAS Pensacola for civil service and as the Equal Opportunity Officer for Corry Hospital, retiring in 1985 as a GS 12. Mom was a lioness with a big heart in the guise of a movie star. She marched with the National Organization of Women in support of the Equal Rights Amendment; she faced harassment and discrimination typical of the day for a working mother where she gained the resolve to help improve the lives of others; she volunteered as a Crisis Hotline Counselor for suicide prevention and teen pregnancy; she served on the Board of Directors for the Alzheimer’s Association and for 10 years as the primary caretaker for our father after his stroke. Mom was dedicated, committed, compassionate and fearless. She is loved and will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, George S. Wilkins; sisters, Louise Armstrong of Jackson, MS, Kathryn James of Pensacola and Jean Hipps of Melbourne, FL.

She is survived by her sister; Sue Peterson of Big Timber, MT; brother, David Johnston of New Braunfels, TX; sons, Stan (Gina) of St Petersburg, FL and Keith (Joan) of Pensacola; granddaughters, Katie Kimbrell (Mark) of Portland, OR and Hillary of St Petersburg, FL; grandsons, Alex of Orlando, Carl of Miami, and Austin and Keight of Pensacola; many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and our adopted family of Herbert, Ruth, Matthias, Jeannette, Selina and Tim Gotl of Steinau Germany.

Memorial services will be announced in the near future with interment at Barrancas National Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Alex Wilkins, Carl Wilkins, Austin Wilkins, Keight Wilkins, Sam Armstrong and Matt Armstrong.

Honorary pallbearers will be David Johnston and Mark Kimbrell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Family Services, 1900 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32501.

Special thanks to Maureen McBride, Liz, Gloria and the staff at Medi Home Health for the years of care, companionship and special attention; Cathy Ward and Kiara Palonco and staff of The Blake in Gulf Breeze for their attention, friendship and loving care and the staff of Emerald Coast Hospice.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Obituaries