Verdie E. Wilkins

Funeral services for Verdie E. Wilkins, 90, Lawrence, will be at 2 pm Wednesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.  Burial will follow at Clinton Cemetery.  Mrs. Wilkins died Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

She was born Sept. 5, 1923, in Sullivan County, Missouri, the daughter of Joseph M. and Lena L. Dale Spencer.  She began working at Kirby’s in 1956, and worked there until 1966, when she began working at E&E Specialties.  In 1978, she began working for the University of Kansas, and worked there for ten years, earning the Employee of the Year award.  She retired in 1988.  She attended Life Tabernacle Church, and enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren and attending their activities.  She liked to crochet and embroider, and made all her children and grandchildren dish towels to remember her by.

She married George L. Wilkins on July 10, 1987, in Lawrence.  He preceded her in death, as did a daughter, Bonnie Harper, a son, Jimmy Spencer, two brothers, Leland and Basil Spencer, two sisters, Lillian Cotter and Mildred Coon, and a granddaughter, Ann Shouse.   Survivors include her children, Dorothy Parsons (Dale), Golden, Colo., Nancy Kochanowski (Tony), Lawrence, and Vickie Baldwin (Robert), Ottawa; a sister, Anna Hoskins, Kentucky; ten grandchildren, Debbie Brown (Brad), Dallas Merritt, Deanna Cassella, Christy Moore (Sean), Steven Parsons (Stacy), Jeffrey Parsons, Pamela Daly (Pete), and Adam, Faith, and Paul Darnell; nine great grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren.

Friends may call from noon until 8 pm Tuesday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 5-6 pm. Memorial contributions are suggested to Grace Hospice, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.