Jimmy Wilkins

Jimmy W. Wilkins was born on July 30, 1925, in Roby, Texas, to Robert L. Wilkins and Mattie V. Sumerlin and passed away on January 14, 2014, in Katy, Texas. He is survived by his loving wife, Linley, and daughters Sandra Wilkins, Jamie Cavazos and Lee Ann Wilkins; brother, Donald J. Wilkins and his wife, Sue; brother-in-law, Jay D. Allen, Sr. and nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by sisters Opal Neely, Jewel Edwards and Bobbie Allen.

Jimmy graduated from Roby High School and attended Texas Christian University prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy where he served on the U.S.S. Philadelphia during World War II and participated in four major battles in the Mediterranean. He was Mayor of Andrews and enjoyed a long and successful career spanning over 50 years in the oilfield industry. He was instrumental in developing a specialized self-propelled completion rig and became involved in building portable substructures to enable a well-servicing unit to perform as a workover rig. As international sales manager he traveled extensively and established well servicing operations with contractors throughout the oil producing areas of the world. Jimmy had a heart as big as Texas and never met a stranger.

A celebration of his life will be held at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22. In lieu of customary remembrances, Jimmy wished that donations be made to the Salvation Army or to a charity of your choice.