Mary Lucille Wilkins

Mary Lucille Wilkins, a caring woman of strong will, was the youngest of 11 children born to Mason Hendrick and Nannie Edmonds Hendrick, in Bracey, Virginia, on December 25, 1935. She died peacefully in her sleep on August 30, 2020. She was 84.

As a young woman, Mary received her high school diploma in 1954 from the Mecklenburg County Training School. She met her husband, Taswell J. Wilkins, the love of her life, when she was 16 years old. He waited until she graduated from high school to ask her mother for her hand in marriage. They were married on July 31, 1954. From this union, they had one daughter, Vivian L. Wilkins.

Mary retired from the U.S. Department of Defense after more than 25 years as a Military Personnel Specialist at the Defense Logistics Agency. She was a gourmet cook who spent hours reviewing recipes before perfecting each dish. She enjoyed gardening at home with her husband in their rock garden and at the Blair Road Community Garden which produced vegetables for over 20 years.

Mary was a woman of excellence who loved to entertain her family and friends with her wonderful meals. She and Taswell cherished their visits to see relatives in Bracey and Ebony, Virginia. They were always together enjoying life and making great memories. Mary’s favorite musician was Sam Cooke and her favorite song was "You Send Me."

Mary accepted Christ at an early age. She is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband of 64 years, who passed on March 15, 2019.

Mary leaves to mourn her devoted daughter Vivian L. Wilkins of the District of Columbia; brothers-in-law Ben Wilkins, Jr. of Baltimore, Maryland, and James T.C. Brown of Ebony, Virginia; sisters-in-law Mae Wilkins and Laverne "Sissy" Wilkins, also of Baltimore, and a host of nieces and nephews.