Don Edwin Wilks

DON EDWIN WILKS, 68, of Granger, Texas passed peacefully in his home on October 22, 2025. He was born in Alaska at Ladd AFB, now Fort Wainwright, on April 20, 1957 to Martha Jean (Hopkins) Wilks and Don Keith Wilks while his dad was stationed in the U.S. Air Force. The family moved from Fairbanks, Alaska to Austin, Texas in late 1957.

Don grew up in Austin, Texas; attended Gullett Elementary, Lamar Jr. High and McCallum High School. He was a young quiet boy, always turned in his homework, didn’t talk too much in school, and of course, he never got in trouble by playing in the water under the bridge at Shoal Creek and coming home soaked and telling Mom he accidentally slipped into the water...and then, in high school, he got a gorgeous ’69 Chevelle SS 396 (red with white stripes) and got mixed up with those McCallum boys, racing down Grover Avenue. One time at high school – Jack Brown & Don did burnouts on Grover Street; someone called the cops – they arrived and were looking at his car; he saw Dad out there and thought oh shit now I am in trouble, but not with the cops!! The cop just left a note on Don’s car (that same red & white ’69 SS 396); then he had to go listen to the what for from Dad. “If you get thrown in jail, you’ll stay there” and he meant it!!! Daddy was serious about his kids behaving. He came by the racing mindset naturally…from his hot rod Mom, who used to race down Guadalupe in her ’64 silver blue Chevy Impala.

He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior on December 8, 1996 and was welcomed with open arms into heaven by Jesus, and his Mom and Dad who both passed in 2024.

Don was extremely proud of his 33 years, 9 months and 6 days in AA–he loved helping and serving others. Every year, he announced it loud and proud, on Facebook or wherever, that his new life began on January 17. “Easy Does It” – in the time that’s left to me to live, I’m going to try to take it easy, to relax and not to worry, to try to be helpful to others, and to trust God.

In 2015, he met the love of his life at his 40th McCallum High reunion; she was the sister of one of his classmates; she saw him—wrote her number on a note—and put it in his pocket—and the rest is history. With Donna, Don started living again—she brought fun and laughter into his life; did things he’d never done before—so thankful they shared so many years together and the love she has for him.

Don was a past Master of his Lodge, 2017-2018. In 2023, he was presented by his brethren of Lake Victor Lodge as the first recipient with the “Donald Fawcett Charity Award” in recognition of unwavering selfless acts and personal sacrifice given by this brother to benefit his Lodge, his community and his fellow man and in 2024, was presented with the Golden Trowel Award in appreciation for spreading the cement of brotherly love and friendship.

He had a wonderful sense of humor, even close to the end—his sister told him she’d been exercising and gotten on the treadmill—he asked her, but did you turn it on? He always had that sly smile going on and most times something funny was about to come out.

Don will forever be loved by his family and his friends; they are so very grateful he was a part of their lives.

Don leaves behind his beautiful wife Donna Kocurek, his stepmom/other mother Lynda Thomas Wilks, sister Barbara Diane Wilks (Harvey Mikulencak), stepbrothers Kevin Harper and Robert Davidson, daughter Tiffany Wilks Carpenter (Erik Carpenter), son Travis Michael Wilks (Kate Masterson Wilks), nephew Chance David Lewis, his grandchildren Easton, Teagan & Coraline, his Aunt JoAn Wilks, cousin Allen Wilks Deaver, and numerous other cousins. He also leaves behind his SIL Barbara Knapek, BIL Joseph Pekar (Cathy Pekar), BIL Donald Pekar (Teresa Pekar), BIL Charles Pekar (Keri Pekar), SIL Helen Medina, stepchildren John & Lisa Howard, Tony & Carly Howard and Ashley Sims, his step-grandchildren Nathan, Kaden, Rileigh, Mikalah, Mykenzie, Caleb, Abbey, Madilyn and Greyson and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Don is preceded in death by his dad Don Keith Wilks, mom Martha Jean Hopkins, grandparents Karl & Cora Mae Wilks and Boyce & Imogene Mowery, Grandaddy Charles Edwin Hopkins (whom he was named after), and his brother-in-law Ben Knapek.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel,

The memorial service will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 2:00pm at The Gabriels Funeral Chapel.

Buriel will follow the memorial service at Liberty Hill Cemetery, 16101 State Highway 29 W in Liberty Hill, and laid next to his Mom.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in the Memory of Don Edwin Wilks to the American Cancer Society, https://donate.cancer.org.

SERENITY PRAYER

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things

I cannot change,

the courage to change the

things I can, and the wisdom

to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.