Donald E. Wilkinson, 98, died peacefully with family by his side in Green Bay, WI on August 9, 2020. He was born May 4, 1922 in Benton, WI, the oldest son of Fred and Edna (Turnbull) Wilkinson. Don was a 1940 graduate of Benton High School. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1942 and served as a pilot of a B29 Super Fortress bomber in the Pacific Theater of WW2. Flying 27 missions, he was awarded three Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Following graduation from the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture in 1947 Don married Elizabeth (“Betty Lou”) Koehler in Morgantown, WV. The lived in Madison, and in 1948 Don joined the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. That year Don was an integral part of the formation of the Alice in Dairyland program and directly involved with its success for many years. He served in several positions including Marketing Division Chief. In 1969 he was appointed Secretary of Agriculture for Wisconsin until his resignation in 1975.
At that time Don was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve in Washington as Administrator of the Agriculture Marketing Service of the USDA. Two years later he was named by a presidential board as Governor of the Farm Credit Administration, the independent agency within the executive branch of the U.S. government responsible for the regulating and supervising of the borrow-owned Farm Credit System. Don retired from federal service in 1986.
In retirement Don and Betty returned to the Midwest to be nearer to family and to their Door County, WI summer home where Don enjoyed many years of boating, golfing and family time. With his brother, Tom, he owned and managed the family farms in Lafayette County, WI until their sale in 1998. When living in Madison Don enjoyed 25 years of membership including presidency in the Madison Kiwanis Club. He and Betty were active members of the United Methodist Church wherever they lived.
Don was a man of high integrity and faith. He loved to laugh and be with his growing family. He won the “respect of intelligent people and the affection of children”. He always sought to find the best in people. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Don is survived by a son, David (Donna) Wilkinson, Green Bay; a daughter, Nancy (Ray) Ibarra, Lenexa, KS; a son-in-law, Kirk Brown, Wilmette, IL; seven grandchildren, Ryan (Kate) Wilkinson, Lindsay (Dan) Ringle, Jason (Shelley) Brown, Joshua (Maddy) Ibarra, Jillian Brown, Jeremy Ibarra, and Julianne (Kris) Hedrick; and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Betty; a daughter, Karen Brown; a grandson, Dustin Wilkinson; his brother, Tom Wilkinson; and a brother-in-law, Walt Koehler.
Due to Covid-19 a socially-distanced memorial service for family and friends will be held at First United Methodist Church, Green Bay, on Saturday, September 5, at 10:00 am with Rev. David Kalas officiating. The service will be live streamed for all who wish to attend online at www.livestream.com/fumcgb. Interment will be in the Little Sister Cemetery, Sister Bay, WI. Online condolences may be sent to the Wilkinson family at www.prokowall.com. In lieu of floral expressions a memorial fund has been established in Don’s name.
The family wishes to thank all the staff at Moraine Ridge/Reflections Senior Living and Compassus Hospice for their kind care. Memorial gifts may be sent to First United Methodist Church, 501 Howe St. Green Bay, WI 54301, or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 in memory of Karen Wilkinson Brown.