John R. Wilkins

Age 82 passed away on November 4, 2015 surrounded by his loved ones. John was born in Superior, WI on June 21, 1933. John's family moved to Lewiston, ID where he graduated from Lewiston High School where he lettered in basketball and tennis. He graduated valedictorian and was the commencement speaker of his graduating class. He attended the University of Washington on a ROTC scholarship. There he was a member of the Delta Ta Delta fraternity in which he stayed active into the later years of his life. He met many of his lifelong friends there as well as his beautiful wife Marilyn. Marilyn and John married in December of 1955, then moved to Georgia where John was stationed in the Navy. From there, they moved to Long Beach, CA, where their first daughter Pam was born. Just a month later John was stationed on a destroyer off the coast of the Philippines for 11 months. During his time at sea he became an avid cribbage player. Upon leaving the Navy, John and his young family moved to the Seattle View Ridge neighborhood. It was there his second daughter, Colleen was born. At this time John took a job at Farwest Garments in Seattle. In 1960, he purchased the property on Lake Washington where he kept his catamaran and took his family swimming and sailing. In the summer of 1966, the family moved to their newly built home on Lake Washington. By this time John had moved on from Farwest Garments and had began his lifelong career in accounting.

When John's family was young he would drive the famous red station wagon on many family trips including Nez Perce, Idaho, California and the Oregon coast.

John loved the summers on the lake especially hosting Delta ta Delta rushing and reunion parties. John was an avid water-skier and snow-skier and took great joy in skiing with his children and grandchildren. He also had a great love for the outdoors, camping with his family, hiking, horseback riding, and at the age of 50 he summited Mount Rainer. John's greatest joy was playing with his grandchildren and attending all of their activities.

John enjoyed attending his high school reunions, Navy reunions and enjoyed travelling the world. John was always an active man even into his later years, enjoying tennis and racquetball.

John leaves behind his daughters, Pam (Frank) and Colleen as well as his grandchildren, Monica and Michael. John is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Marilyn; his sister, Martha; and his beloved grandson, Tony. We know he was welcomed by them with open arms.