Mary Kathleen Wilkins

Mary was the first born and oldest of eight daughters of Helen and Troy Nicholson.

Troy was a schoolteacher in Fulton County, Arkansas and her mother Helen was a homemaker. They moved from school to school as Troy changed teaching locations in the one-room schoolhouses of rural Arkansas.

Mary and her family, soon to be five younger siblings, grew up in a farming community where both families had strong family roots. When Mary was 2 years old, she and four other children in the county were diagnosed with infantile paralysis (now called polio). No one had heard of this illness, and diagnosis and treatment were not available in rural communities. Mary and her Daddy went to Little Rock, Arkansas on the train (400 miles away) to Children’s Hospital and she was diagnosed. She, at age 2, remained in the hospital for treatment. Her Daddy traveled back and forth while her Mother cared for the younger two siblings. This treatment went on for two years, when Mary returned home in heavy iron leg braces. Her mother was taught physical therapy and performed this therapy on Mary daily.

Mary’s illness was not preventable, but fortunately in 1949 polio vaccine was formulated by Dr. Jonas Salk and prevented children from this crippling and life-changing disease.

Mary attended school in Mammoth Spring throughout elementary through the 7th grade. As a result of World War II, the family relocated to San Antonio, Texas in 1949, where her father continued to serve in the Army. By this time, the family had grown to 7 daughters (having lost one sister due to spinal meningitis). She continued her education at Horace Mann Junior High and San Antonio Technical High School, where she was an excellent student, served on the student council and was editor of her high school newspaper. She received a scholarship to San Antonio Junior College and received her associate’s degree in Elementary Education.

In 1956, Mary married a young airman from Lackland Airforce Base whom she had met through friends. She and Charles Dee Cloninger of Big Sandy, Texas were married October 6, 1956, and moved to Houston where he worked for the railroad. She continued her education at San Jacinto College in Pasadena and was a recognized journalism student.

During this time, they had two sons, Charles Aaron Cloninger and Steven Wayne Cloninger (deceased). She and her first husband were divorced in 1980 and in 1984 she married Gary Wayne Wilkins of Greely, Colorado. They made their home in Pasadena, Texas, where Gary was a Deputy Sheriff.

Mary also had a successful career as an employment office manager in Pasadena throughout this time and worked until retirement in 2000. She served as employment counselor, department manager, and managed two branch offices, benefits coordinator, and credit manager before retirement.

Mary had told her family and friends many times that she considered her good life a result of having two good, responsible parents who loved and cared for her and the whole family. She has attributed her success to hard work, determination, persistence and a good family support and a good education. She was brought up in the Church of Christ, attending with her family as a youngster and continuing in her faith throughout adulthood.

Her siblings have always admired and looked to Mary for leadership and advice. She brought up her sons to be self-sufficient and independent and continued to set that example for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Although she experienced pain and suffering, hardship and disappointments, throughout her life due to her physical hardships due to polio, you rarely heard Mary complain. She was a positive, encouraging person to all. She was deeply loved and respected by her family and had many friends who admired her tenacity, kindness, and generosity.

We will miss our sister, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and neighbor. We love you Mary. Thank you for being in our lives and making our lives richer.

Mary is survived by five sisters: Ms. Norah Denman of San Antonio, Mrs. Carolyn Dunkin of Laguna Vista, Mrs. Jo Nicholson of Bulverde, Mrs. Deborah Waddell of Bandera, and Ms. Denise Nicholson of Bandera. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.