George Michael Wilkins

George Michael Wilkins (Mike) born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 1, 1938, passed peacefully on Thursday, March 31, 2016. At a young age, his family moved to Florida, eventually living in Ft. Lauderdale where he met Ginger and graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School. Four days after graduating from Duke University, he was married to his high school sweetheart and lifetime best friend Ginger. While serving in the United States Marine Corps his first daughter Kathy was born in Quantico, Virginia. After retiring from active duty, he went to work for Southern Bell in Jacksonville, Florida. During his meanderings within the Bell Company, he settled down enough to have his middle daughter, Debbi, born in West Palm Beach, Florida, and his third daughter, Kim, in Jacksonville, Florida. He retired from Bell in 1991 and then worked 10 years for Siemens. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Duncan Carlisle (Mike) and Lois Wilkins; father and mother-in-law, Earl and Doris Collier; his stepmother Barbara Wilkins; his brother-in-law, Hank Ramirez; and his nephew, Jack Clements. Survivors include his wife, Ginger Wilkins (Jacksonville, FL); his sister, Joy Ramirez (Atlanta, GA); his brother-in-law Bud Collier (Judy) (Lake Worth, FL) three daughters, Kathy Day (Mike) (Saint Johns, FL), Debbi Beer (Doug) (Belfast, TN), Kim Gonzalez (Dave) (Ventura, CA); two grandsons, David Day and Joshua Gonzalez; his niece, Susan Pavloff (Tom) (Atlanta, GA); and great nieces, Amanda and Reagan Pavloff. He worshipped and served at Memorial United Methodist Church in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
Mike was a wonderful, kind Christian man who was devoted to his wife, his children, family and friends. He will be greatly missed. Words cannot express our sorrow, but he is with our Lord, whom he loved and served. He is in heaven enjoying the full joy of eternal life with his heavenly Father. Our hearts are broken, but we also feel peace and joy knowing he is Home.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Memorial United Methodist Church, 601 Centre Street, Fernandina Beach, Florida at 2:00 PM on Monday, April 4, 2016.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Memorial United Methodist Church Music Fund in memory of Mike Wilkins.