East Middlebury, VT- Roy E. Wilkinson died on November 3, 2019. Roy was born on October 11, 1924 in Rutland Town, where he grew up, the son of Benjamin H and Ella Peters Wilkinson. In his younger years he worked various occupations which included logging, ice delivery, a scale company and lumber mill. While working for Crystal Ice Company he delivered ice to Kehoe’s Diner, where he met his future wife.
In April of 1944 Roy joined the United States Marine Corps. He had broken service from November 1947- February 1950, at which time he rejoined the USMC. He retired with 20 years of service in September of 1966. His wartime service included Iwo Jima (1945), Inchon, Seoul and Chosin Reservoir, Korea (September 1950- September 1951) and Vietnam (June 1965- February 1966). His peacetime Service included many duty stations including China and Guam.
After returning from Korea, he married Elizabeth Patch Wilkinson, daughter of George Oscar Patch Jr and Elfreda Bartholemew Patch.
When he retired from the Marine Corps in 1966, Roy and Beth moved their family back to Vermont. There Roy joined The United States Forest Service working in The Green Mountain National Forest Middlebury Ranger District for 23½ years retiring in 1990.
Roy’s faith has always been a priority in his life. Since moving to East Middlebury he was an active member of Memorial Baptist Church where he served on several boards, as well as in the Vermont/New Hampshire Region (ABCVNH).
Roy is survived by his wife of 68 years, Beth and two sons, Alan (Deb) and Barry (Barb) and son-in-law Ron Dubuque. He was blessed by his eight grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. Roy was predeceased by his daughter Wendy, his father and mother, six brothers and one sister.
Calling hours will be at Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday November 16th, 2019 from 10:00am-12:00pm, Memorial Service starting at 12:30pm; Reception immediately following in the Fellowship Hall. Roy will be buried at Prospect Cemetery in East Middlebury, VT in a private ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Memorial Baptist Church, Home Health and Hospice, or Middlebury Regional EMS. To send online condolences to his family please visit www.brownmcclayfuneralhomes.com
So sorry for your loss. Our prayers and thoughts are with you all. Always enjoyed Roy and his sense of humor.
GOD bless you Leatherneck for your decades of selfless service to GOD, Country, our beloved Marine Corps and family! It was an honor to know you and Beth and get to meet you. Please give Diana a hug for me when you two meet again in heaven.
So sorry to hear the news of Roy’s passing. Roy was a valued friend and co worker to me at the Middlebury Ranger Station. He taught me many valuable things. I’ll always remember how kind Roy and Beth were to me and Joanne. We send our condolences to Beth and Roy’s family.
May he Rest In Peace.
Chris and Joanne Casey
McAllister, Montana
What a wonderful gift Heaven has! What a great man of God and always a joy to be around. My sincere sypathies to you all. Hugs and prayers.
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to Roy’s family. I have such warm memories of Roy when I worked with him at the Forest Service in the early 1980s. I learned about working in the woods in winter with Roy, Mike Burbank, and Rebecca Wright. Roy taught me how to walk around on snowshoes while carrying field equipment, how to make lunch fires in the snow, and how to toast peanut butter and jelly sandwiches over the fire. He was like a jolly elf in the woods, always happy, singing Little Footprints in the Snow. When I started working for the Forest Service full time in the 1990s after he had retired, he would often stop by the Middlebury office and chat with us about what he was up to, always curious about what was new on the Forest. I will never forget him or these wonderful memories.
Our love and prayers for all of you.
Penny and John
We are so sorry for your loss . May you find peace and comfort during this difficult time . Thinking of you and your family !
Sincerely, Stanley and Susan Potter
As a co-worker in the Vermont Baptist State Convention and later in the ABCVNH, we have had many happy times. May the Lord be with you all during your celebration of Roy’s being called home to Heaven.
We have had many happy times as co-workers in the VT Baptist State Convention and later in the ABCVNH. May the Lord be with you all during your celebration of Roy’s going home to Heaven.
My condolences to you and your family Jacob! My thoughts and prayers are with you all!😔🙏
My condolences to you and your family Jacob 😔🙏
Dear Beth and Family,
Please accept our sincere condolences, we deeply sympathize your loss, and our thoughts are with you and with all your big family… We cannot believe that Roy is not with all of us… Our family will always remember Roy…
Please stay strong, cope with this, our thoughts are with you…
You all are really blessed – Roy was a great man who has established and has led a wonderful family, so his kids, and their kids, and their kids can be proud of Roy. Let Roy rest in peace…
With words of grief, support and love,
Sveta, Oleg, and Nick from Novosibirsk, Russia
Our hearts go out to the family. RIP Roy
We both are saddened by the passing of Roy. We came to know him in 1985 when Barbara studied at Middlebury College. We had the wonderful privilege of living in Roy and Beth’s home at that time. It was our joy to fellowship with him at this home and at his church. He was a living testimony of a man who loved his country, his family and his Lord. He will be remembered to so very many.
We cherish his memory. Our prayers to out to Beth and her wonderful family. May the God of all peace grant you comfort at this time. We love you, Beth.
Barbara Lewis and Beulah Hager
I worked with Roy for many years on the timber marking crew on the Green Mountain National Forest, Middlebury District. We had a lot of laughs over the years. Roy was often ready with a (corny) joke, but would make us laugh! He instilled honest, hard work by example. He was older than the rest of the crew and we always hoped we’d be in as good shape when we reached his age! He didn’t talk about his military time much, but I was always interested in his experiences. I respected him for the time he spent in the Marine Corps. Roy was a humble man; a Marine who fought on Iwo Jima.
He had a positive attitude that was infectious. He will be missed by many friends and family!
So sad, but we can recall the many happy memories we have of being with Roy and Beth. Square dance lessons, attending Memorial Baptist Church with them, and having many happy get-togethers with them, the Goodros, and the Tuxburys. And now Roy is paving the way for our entrance into Heaven. May the Lord bless you and be with you Beth at this sorrowful time.