Clyde Nolan Wilkinson

On Feb 27, 1928 a son, Clyde Nolan Wilkinson, Jr., was born to Clyde Nolan Wilkinson, Sr. and Ethel L. Hubbs Wilkinson in Denton, Texas. He was the oldest son and sibling to his next born brother, Lloyd Maynard Wilkinson and younger sister, Marcilee Wilkinson Monk. The Family lived in Palestine, Texas in a simpler time of block ice boxes and stories of escapades such as galloping horses into low tree branches and riding a pulley from the tree into the side of a barn. He found himself taken away these simpler times and stationed in occupied Japan in the army Fifth Calvary…where he took from there a passion for gardening…Later he was known to tie stones and bricks to the branches of a pine thus creating the remembered shapes he saw in Japan plus building his own rock and sand garden embraced with his version of a tea house. This love of nature in all forms followed him throughout his life.

He married Joan Bianchi Wilkinson and they brought into this world five children : Debra Wilkinson Alldredge - spouse, Lonney. Pamela Wilkinson Dunbar Labac - spouse, Doug. Dirk Wilkinson - spouse, Cindy. Wade Wilkinson - spouse, Katy. Leigh Wilkinson Walden - spouse, Michael. He was blessed with the following grandchildren: Heather Dunbar Ford, Steven and Eric Labac, Taylor Wilkinson, Amanda and Clayton Wilkinson, Emma and Molly Walden. And further blessed with the following great grandchildren: Morgan, Lindsey and Karli Ford. Later in life he married his current wife: Halina Brack Wilkinson.

As a young married adult, he worked as an accountant for The Austin Road Company and completed his degree from the University of Houston, but also had attended both Texas A & M and The University of Texas… to the latter he remained a dedicated UT LongHorns Football fan. Professionally he was a retired self-employed CPA who for many years kept an office in The First State Bank of Bellaire building in Bellaire, Texas. He was active in the Greater Bellaire Chamber of Commerce and recently received an honor for 50 years of continued certified service in this vocation. He was extremely proud of this accomplishment. He was also motivated to acquire Knowledge…not just facts..but was inquisitive about the arts, science, people and culture. He loved reading, movies and music from opera to Janis Joplin. He felt connected to others by sharing and talking. For many years Clyde pursued his passions in and for nature including scuba diving, snorkeling, traveling, photography, gardening and found a dream fulfilled in living 13 years on 11 acres in the mountains of Atenas, Costa Rica which he shared with Halina, and their pet dogs Rayna and Nata. He loved his bamboo groves, coffee fields, trails among the heliconia, banana and mango trees, monkeys, toucans and flutterbys. He was a generous man and life was generous to him.

Day of Transition: Sunday, December 29, 2013 Age: 85

Our Family is asking in lieu of flowers that donations please be made in his name to the American Cancer Society or Nature.org “Adopt an Acre Program” for Costa Rican Rainforests