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William Walker Wilkins

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William, age 96, Sun City, AZ; passed away, on Saturday, July 18, 2020.
Predeceased by father, Earl H. Wilkins and Mother Grace Walker Wilkins, brother Hugh F. Wilkins, and wife Nancy Spring Wilkins. Survivors are son, Thomas S. Wilkins; daughter-in-law, Wanying Wilkins; grandson, William Z. Wilkins; brother, Robert E. Wilkins; sister, Beth M. Wilkins; and many nieces and nephews.
William Walker Wilkins was born October 24, 1923 in Geneva, NE to Earl Hall Wilkins and Grace Walker Wilkins.
He was a member of the Congregational Church of Geneva, NE.
He graduated from Geneva Public High School in 1941. He then enrolled in the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
In April 1943, during World War II, he was called to active duty in the army of the United States. After completing basic training at Camp Roberts, CA, he was assigned to Headquarters Battery of the 363rd Field Artillery Battalion which was attached to the 96th Infantry Division then in the Bend Maneuver Area of eastern Oregon. He was a radio operator. He served in the campaigns on the Island of Leyte in the Philippine Islands and the Japanese possession of Okinawa. He was discharged at Fort Logan, CO on February 7, 1946, Technician 5th Grade.
On returning to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he was assistant business manager of the “Daily Nebraskan”, the university newspaper. In January 1949, he graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics.
In January 1950, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve. In August 1950, he was employed by the Farmers State Bank, Fairmont, NE where he was assistant cashier and director. In May 1951, he was employed by the Shickley State Bank, Shickley, NE as cashier. In February 1953, he received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
On June 18, 1960, he married Nancy Ann Spring at St. James Methodist church in Bellevue, NE. In 1963, a son Thomas Spring Wilkins was born.
In Shickley, NE, he served as chairman of the board of trustees of the village of Shickley for three years. He was secretary and treasurer of the Shickley Commercial Club for many years. He was a member of the Shickley American Legion Post for over 60 years. In 1978, he became president of the Shickley State Bank at Shickley, NE.
In 1983, he established a vacation home in Sun City, AZ. In 1984, he became a member of Willowbrook Methodist Church, in Sun City, AZ. In 1986, he was employed by the Geneva State Bank, Geneva, NE as Vice President. In 1994, he became president of the Geneva State Company, a holding company for the Geneva State Bank.
In October 2001, he moved to Lindgren Avenue in Sun City, AZ. In July 2012, he moved to Royal Oaks life care in Sun City, AZ.