Jerry W. Wilkes

Cdr. Jerry W. Wilkes, USNR (Retired) age 71 of Maryville passed away Sunday, January 24, 2010 surrounded by his family at home. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Maryville. Jerry was a veteran of the U.S. Navy with 23 ½ years of active duty retired from the U.S. Naval Reserves. He attended the Officer’s Candidate School in Newport, RI. He served aboard the USS Hector, USS Delta, USS Protector. Further served with Texas Group LANTRESFLT. He served at Commandant 6 District in Charleston, SC and the Readiness Command Region 9 in Memphis, TN. He was the commanding officer at Naval Reserve Centers in Augusta, GA, Memphis, TN, Paducah, KY, Nashville, TN, and Knoxville, TN. He was a member of the original Blount County Young Life Committee as well as the Gideon’s for 30 years. Jerry’s true love was for missions and children. He was preceded in death by: parents, Clark and Daisy Wilkes; sisters, Dorothy Christian, Louella Moore, Ovie Twyman; brother, Willie Gray Wilkes. Survivors include: wife of 46 years, Dolores Taylor Wilkes; daughter, Beth Wilkes of Maryville; daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Joel Lay of Louisville; sons and daughters-in-law, Jeremy and Jenny Wilkes of Memphis, Nathan and Becky Wilkes of Maryville. He was Dada to: Rachel Wilkes, Avery Lay, Joshua Wilkes, Cooper Wilkes, and Taylor Wilkes. Jerry is also survived by his sister, Elinor Dickerson of Jackson, TN, brother and sister-in-law Landis and Dorothy Wilkes of Savannah, TN, special niece, Karen Twyman and many other nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 7:00pm at Smith Trinity Chapel with the Rev. Andy Morris, Rev. Micky Megginson, Alan Wolfe, and Joe Hall officiating. Family and friends will assemble at 10:00 am, Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at Grandview Cemetery for the Entombment and military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Gideon’s Blount South Camp, the Children’s Ministry of First Baptist Church of Maryville, Young Life of Blount County, and Mission Serve, PO Box 1767, Cumming, GA 30028. The family will receive friends from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, Tuesday, at Smith’s Trinity Chapel. Smith Funeral & Cremation Service, Maryville, TN 37803, 865-983-1000. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Jerry W. Wilkes please visit our Sympathy Store.