Cad Luke Wilkins, a kind and caring gentle man, passed away on December 21, 2013. Luke was born in New Hill to Bob and Maggie Wilkins. He was the last surviving sibling of seven children; Robert, Judd, Duke, Geta, Maude, and Ruby.
Luke was married for almost 60 years to Anna Poe Wilkins who pre-deceased him in 2009. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Danny Wilkins and Mary Ellen Taft of Raleigh, and his daughter Teresa Dominick of Richmond, Va. He was always close to his wife’s family, especially Uncle Bobby and Aunt Liz Poe and nephew Andy Poe.
Luke proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was part of the D-Day landing in France. After three years in the Navy he joined the North Carolina Army National Guard as a full time soldier. He was a Chief Warrant Officer, CW4, from April 15, 1947 to April 30, 1985. He retired after 38 years of outstanding service with the Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Raleigh, NC, with an expertise in military weaponry and machinery.
Over the past 50 years Luke was an active member and deacon with Creedmoor Baptist Church and Six Forks Baptist Church. He would be the one to volunteer his time mowing the lawns and being the overall handyman for any work that needed to be done. He loved his Bible and his Lord.
Luke loved to fix and build things. Bird houses and potato or ‘tater’ boxes were his specialties. He helped his son Danny build a beautiful log home in 1982, including the clearing of the land and together they learned as they went. He was a huge fan of Millbrook High School soccer and loved attending both men’s and women’s soccer games to see his son coach.
Luke was a generous man who helped his daughter Teresa start her own business and continued to help his son and daughter throughout their lives.
It is true that Luke or ‘Cad Luke’ as he was sometimes called, never met a stranger. During his last days at Sunrise, many staff members came by to tell stories of Luke and his many talents. Bible Study classes and Hymn Singing were his favorites and he was one of the few who actually knew all the words to “He Hideth My Soul”.
Luke grew up in New Hill, NC on the family tobacco farm. Farming and growing fruits and vegetables were an important facet of his life. He always had a garden as well as grape vines and fruit trees. He was also an avid hunter and there were many hunting trips to the farm with friends such as Emanuel May.
Thank you to the wonderful caregivers of Sunrise at North Hills, especially the angels of the Reminiscent Care Unit. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Wake County (250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC) or the SPCA of Wake County (200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, NC).
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Thursday, December 26, 2013 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 E. Millbrook Rd., Raleigh, NC. The family will receive friends from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. prior to the service. Interment will be at Raleigh Memorial Park.
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