US Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, fireman and EMT. Wilkerson was a local fireman and emergency medical technician and paramedic for 27 years. He was active in the community as a longtime volunteer cook at the Lebanon Soup Kitchen and was involved in the Cheadle Lake Park project. He helped rebuild Century Park and served as a radio commentator for Lebanon High School Warrior football games. He served on the Lebanon School Board for six years, as chairman for three years.
In 2001, in the middle of fighting cancer, he ran for re-election to the school board. Later he resigned, when it became apparent he couldn't remain on the board and hope to keep up his fight against the cancer. He was fighting pneumonia and his doctor advised him to limit stress.
For several months, he was too sick to attend meetings in person, but often arranged to participate by phone, even when he was in the hospital.
During an interview in October 2002, he said his proudest moment on the board was "the way the community came together" to pass the school bond.
In March 2001, Wilkerson was named Lebanon's 2000 Man of the Year. In accepting the award, Wilkerson said "What I've done for the community is very little compared to what the community has done for me." Wilkerson was also active in many Lebanon civic organizations, including the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Lebanon Strawberrians.
In 1998, Wilkerson was the Democratic candidate for state representative, running against Republican Jeff Kropf.
In 1989, Wilkerson was awarded the fire district's medal of valor. Palmer said that was for his actions in a 1988 fire. He went in to a burning house trailer at Santiam Village and brought out an elderly person, who survived the blaze.
While with the district, Wilkerson was instrumental in gaining collective bargaining and binding arbitration for firefighters statewide -- the benefits, wages and benefits that firefighters enjoy today, Palmer said. He organized the local firefighters' union and served as its president for three years. Wilkerson retired from the Lebanon Fire District in 1997 as a division chief. For the last four years of his career he was in charge of the maintenance division. Prior to that he had been a shift commander for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the Lebanon Elks, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association.
Wilkerson, born in Portland, was the son of Chester and Marge (Kirby) Wilkerson. He moved with his family to South Dakota and then in 1952 to Lebanon. He attended Hamilton Creek School and in 1962 graduated from Lebanon Union High School.
From 1966 to 1968 he served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
He married Kaye Whitehead on April 25, 1969.
Wilkerson is survived by his wife, Kaye Wilkerson of Lebanon; son Mike Joslin of Sweet Home; daughters Lisa Bergstrom and Dani Anderlik, both of Lebanon; special "son" Bill Bergstrom of Lebanon; seven grandchildren; brothers Dave Frothinger of Quesnel, B.C., Canada, and Chester Wilkerson of Lebanon; sister Linda McDonough of Lebanon; special "brothers" Skip McDonough and Joe Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
Cause of death: cancer.
In 2001, in the middle of fighting cancer, he ran for re-election to the school board. Later he resigned, when it became apparent he couldn't remain on the board and hope to keep up his fight against the cancer. He was fighting pneumonia and his doctor advised him to limit stress.
For several months, he was too sick to attend meetings in person, but often arranged to participate by phone, even when he was in the hospital.
During an interview in October 2002, he said his proudest moment on the board was "the way the community came together" to pass the school bond.
In March 2001, Wilkerson was named Lebanon's 2000 Man of the Year. In accepting the award, Wilkerson said "What I've done for the community is very little compared to what the community has done for me." Wilkerson was also active in many Lebanon civic organizations, including the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Lebanon Strawberrians.
In 1998, Wilkerson was the Democratic candidate for state representative, running against Republican Jeff Kropf.
In 1989, Wilkerson was awarded the fire district's medal of valor. Palmer said that was for his actions in a 1988 fire. He went in to a burning house trailer at Santiam Village and brought out an elderly person, who survived the blaze.
While with the district, Wilkerson was instrumental in gaining collective bargaining and binding arbitration for firefighters statewide -- the benefits, wages and benefits that firefighters enjoy today, Palmer said. He organized the local firefighters' union and served as its president for three years. Wilkerson retired from the Lebanon Fire District in 1997 as a division chief. For the last four years of his career he was in charge of the maintenance division. Prior to that he had been a shift commander for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the Lebanon Elks, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association.
Wilkerson, born in Portland, was the son of Chester and Marge (Kirby) Wilkerson. He moved with his family to South Dakota and then in 1952 to Lebanon. He attended Hamilton Creek School and in 1962 graduated from Lebanon Union High School.
From 1966 to 1968 he served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
He married Kaye Whitehead on April 25, 1969.
Wilkerson is survived by his wife, Kaye Wilkerson of Lebanon; son Mike Joslin of Sweet Home; daughters Lisa Bergstrom and Dani Anderlik, both of Lebanon; special "son" Bill Bergstrom of Lebanon; seven grandchildren; brothers Dave Frothinger of Quesnel, B.C., Canada, and Chester Wilkerson of Lebanon; sister Linda McDonough of Lebanon; special "brothers" Skip McDonough and Joe Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
Cause of death: cancer.
US Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, fireman and EMT. Wilkerson was a local fireman and emergency medical technician and paramedic for 27 years. He was active in the community as a longtime volunteer cook at the Lebanon Soup Kitchen and was involved in the Cheadle Lake Park project. He helped rebuild Century Park and served as a radio commentator for Lebanon High School Warrior football games. He served on the Lebanon School Board for six years, as chairman for three years.
In 2001, in the middle of fighting cancer, he ran for re-election to the school board. Later he resigned, when it became apparent he couldn't remain on the board and hope to keep up his fight against the cancer. He was fighting pneumonia and his doctor advised him to limit stress.
For several months, he was too sick to attend meetings in person, but often arranged to participate by phone, even when he was in the hospital.
During an interview in October 2002, he said his proudest moment on the board was "the way the community came together" to pass the school bond.
In March 2001, Wilkerson was named Lebanon's 2000 Man of the Year. In accepting the award, Wilkerson said "What I've done for the community is very little compared to what the community has done for me." Wilkerson was also active in many Lebanon civic organizations, including the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Lebanon Strawberrians.
In 1998, Wilkerson was the Democratic candidate for state representative, running against Republican Jeff Kropf.
In 1989, Wilkerson was awarded the fire district's medal of valor. Palmer said that was for his actions in a 1988 fire. He went in to a burning house trailer at Santiam Village and brought out an elderly person, who survived the blaze.
While with the district, Wilkerson was instrumental in gaining collective bargaining and binding arbitration for firefighters statewide -- the benefits, wages and benefits that firefighters enjoy today, Palmer said. He organized the local firefighters' union and served as its president for three years. Wilkerson retired from the Lebanon Fire District in 1997 as a division chief. For the last four years of his career he was in charge of the maintenance division. Prior to that he had been a shift commander for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the Lebanon Elks, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association.
Wilkerson, born in Portland, was the son of Chester and Marge (Kirby) Wilkerson. He moved with his family to South Dakota and then in 1952 to Lebanon. He attended Hamilton Creek School and in 1962 graduated from Lebanon Union High School.
From 1966 to 1968 he served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
He married Kaye Whitehead on April 25, 1969.
Wilkerson is survived by his wife, Kaye Wilkerson of Lebanon; son Mike Joslin of Sweet Home; daughters Lisa Bergstrom and Dani Anderlik, both of Lebanon; special "son" Bill Bergstrom of Lebanon; seven grandchildren; brothers Dave Frothinger of Quesnel, B.C., Canada, and Chester Wilkerson of Lebanon; sister Linda McDonough of Lebanon; special "brothers" Skip McDonough and Joe Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
Cause of death: cancer.
In 2001, in the middle of fighting cancer, he ran for re-election to the school board. Later he resigned, when it became apparent he couldn't remain on the board and hope to keep up his fight against the cancer. He was fighting pneumonia and his doctor advised him to limit stress.
For several months, he was too sick to attend meetings in person, but often arranged to participate by phone, even when he was in the hospital.
During an interview in October 2002, he said his proudest moment on the board was "the way the community came together" to pass the school bond.
In March 2001, Wilkerson was named Lebanon's 2000 Man of the Year. In accepting the award, Wilkerson said "What I've done for the community is very little compared to what the community has done for me." Wilkerson was also active in many Lebanon civic organizations, including the Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Lebanon Strawberrians.
In 1998, Wilkerson was the Democratic candidate for state representative, running against Republican Jeff Kropf.
In 1989, Wilkerson was awarded the fire district's medal of valor. Palmer said that was for his actions in a 1988 fire. He went in to a burning house trailer at Santiam Village and brought out an elderly person, who survived the blaze.
While with the district, Wilkerson was instrumental in gaining collective bargaining and binding arbitration for firefighters statewide -- the benefits, wages and benefits that firefighters enjoy today, Palmer said. He organized the local firefighters' union and served as its president for three years. Wilkerson retired from the Lebanon Fire District in 1997 as a division chief. For the last four years of his career he was in charge of the maintenance division. Prior to that he had been a shift commander for more than 15 years.
He was a member of the Lebanon Elks, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association.
Wilkerson, born in Portland, was the son of Chester and Marge (Kirby) Wilkerson. He moved with his family to South Dakota and then in 1952 to Lebanon. He attended Hamilton Creek School and in 1962 graduated from Lebanon Union High School.
From 1966 to 1968 he served with the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.
He married Kaye Whitehead on April 25, 1969.
Wilkerson is survived by his wife, Kaye Wilkerson of Lebanon; son Mike Joslin of Sweet Home; daughters Lisa Bergstrom and Dani Anderlik, both of Lebanon; special "son" Bill Bergstrom of Lebanon; seven grandchildren; brothers Dave Frothinger of Quesnel, B.C., Canada, and Chester Wilkerson of Lebanon; sister Linda McDonough of Lebanon; special "brothers" Skip McDonough and Joe Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
Cause of death: cancer.
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