Marion Rex Wilkinson

Rex Wilkinson, 95, of Venice, FL passed away October 23, 2015. He was born June 10, 1920 in New Castle, Indiana, the son of Ernest and Hazel (nee Sopher) Wilkinson. He was a graduate of New Castle High School. During WWII, Rex served with the 15 th Air Force in Europe, flying 51 missions. He was a B-24 pilot with the 456 th Heavy Bomb Group. Rex received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation and the European Theater Ribbon. He served as an instructor in attack bombers until the end of the war and retired as Major from the US Air Force Reserves. He went to Muncie, IN following discharge from the service and was employed by Muncie Tree Surgery for several years. In 1967, Rex and Charles Lamb organized Telepower Services, Inc. He retired on January 1, 1983. He was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and served as a council member. He belonged to Elks 245 and the Moose Lodge 33.

Rex moved to Nokomis, FL in 2000 and then to Village on the Isle in Venice in 2006. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Betty Everhart and his wife, Harriett �"Billie” Wilkinson.

He is survived by his children, Roger (Martha) Wilkinson of Bay City, TX; Sandy (Eldred) Rosenthal of The Villages, FL; Sue (Gary) Lane of Stow, OH and Susan (Jerry) Robbins of Venice, FL; 5 grandchildren; a brother, Dale Wilkinson of Houston, TX; and special friend Elaine Oetting.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Village on the Isles, Venice, FL and burial with military honors at Sarasota National Cemetery in Sarasota, FL, both service dates are pending.