- Date Of Birth: December 12, 1943
- Date Of Death: February 17, 2014
- State: Georgia
Dean M. Wilkins, 70, of Sharpsburg, GA passed away Monday, February 17, 2014, at Doctors Hospice in Riverdale after battling cancer for almost a year. Dean was born December 12, 1943, in Ilion, NY to the late Spencer Albert Wilkins & Helen Comstock Wilkins.
His family moved to the Ithica, NY area in 1944 where Dean and his brother Spencer attended Ithaca High School. Dean graduated from Spartan University of Aviation in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1964 with a diploma in airline jet mechanic and overhead technician. After graduation, he worked for Central Airlines in Kansas City, MO. In 1966 he married Barbara Everhart, shortly after they moved to Long Island, NY where their two sons were born. During his career, he worked for many flight-based operations. He got his pilot’s license in 1972 prior to moving to Jacksonville, FL where he worked for Charter Oil as a mechanic/co-pilot later acquiring a captain’s position before leaving to go to Freeport McMoran in New Orleans from 1987 to 1999. At Freeport McMoran he was Pilot-in-Command/Assistant Director of Aviation of a worldwide operation/Special Projects. In 1999 he moved to Seattle, WA to work for Orca Bay Aviations as a Chief Pilot transporting sports teams through 2000. From 2000 to 2011 Dean fulfilled a lifetime dream and got a job with Boeing as a flight instructor/special projects. He retired in 2012 but went back to work part-time with ATI as a contract flight instructor. During his career, he accumulated 10 plus airplane ratings with 13,000 plus total flight hours of U.S. and international travel. Dean was a member of Grace Baptist Church of Sharpsburg for the last 13 years.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Barbara; sons, Dean M. Wilkins of San Antonio, TX, Daryl Stuart Wilkins & wife Katie of Keystone Heights, FL; two grandchildren, Nicholas & Ashlee Wilkins of Royce City, TX; brother, Spencer Wilkins & wife Peggy of Greenville, TX; cousin, Elaine LaHue of Weirsdale, FL; many nieces and nephews. Dean loved his God, family, and extended family of beloved friends and co-workers.
