Charles Clifton Wilkes

Charles Clifton Wilkes was born on April 29, 1932 to Charles Clemons Wilkes and Stella Odenid Fields in Paducah, Texas. He was the last of the Wilkes children to be born to Stella before she remarried after his father’s death and then had four more sons in her second marriage to Mr. Carl Whelchel.

Cliff, as he preferred to be called was a hardworking, loyal man who loved his wife deeply and raised three sons. Cliff’s early life was not easy and he worked hard to provide for the love of his life, Eva Madeline Banks, whom he met when he was 18. Shortly after they were married, he deployed to Japan and Korea to serve in the Korean War. His pictures there tell the story of a young man with a great sense of humor and adventure.

Cliff became a union electrician, working at Consolidated Engineering Inc. before he was deployed to the Korean War and continued back at Consolidated upon returning home and finishing out until his retirement. Cliff and Mady had three boys and after the birth of their third son, they built a house in Parker, Colorado where they would live for over forty years. That home was full of love, laughter and memories.

Cliff is remembered as a selfless man who always put his family and friends before himself. His sons’ fondest memories are of camping and road trips. He was beloved by the grandchildren whom he always let win at Atari games and pushed down the hill on tricycles. Truly he will be missed by many who will never hear his signature chuckle again after he told a story complete with sound effects, nor watch him fix his hair with his little black comb forever in his front pocket, or watch him actually use a handkerchief like an old western.

He passed away on May 14, 2016 at his home. Cliff is preceded in death by his wife, Eva Madeline Wilkes, his parents and all his siblings. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Charles and Connie Wilkes, Kevin Wilkes, Brett and Shawnea Wilkes, his grandchildren Jami, Katie, Ryan, Rina, Eva, Nicholas, Chantel, Sonora, Alan, Kara, and Nicole and nine great grandchildren.

Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, Centennial, Colorado.