Kim O. Wilkins class of 1957
Cheboygan - Kim Owen Wilkins, a longtime Mullett Lake resident, passed peacefully on March 14, 2020 in Cheboygan, MI, at the age of 80. Kim was born in Lansing, MI on July 16, 1939, the son of Rex Owen and Ethel (Kelley) Wilkins, also long-time residents on Mullett Lake. Rex and Ethel instilled in Kim the importance of family and friends that he would carry for the rest of his life.
Kim graduated from Okemos High School in 1957, where he played football, basketball and ran track. While still in high school he met his life-long love and partner, Mary Jean Campbell. Kim attended Michigan State University, in East Lansing, where he earned a BS in Residential Construction and an MS in Business.
Kim and Mary Jean were married in the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel on December 16, 1961. He began his career in construction at McKay Lumber in Lansing. In 1964, Kim accepted a position with the National Association of Home Builders in Rockville, Maryland. A few years later, Kim returned to Michigan to work for Amurcon in Southfield, living in Utica and later settling in Rochester, where he and Mary Jean raised their two children, Kelley and James (Jamie), and made many dear, life-long friends.
After a moving his family to Florida with Amurcon in 1983, Kim later joined Damone/Andrew in Tampa, where he remained for 10 years. In 1993, Kim and Mary Jean, once again returned to Michigan where Kim completed his career in construction and land development at Norfolk Development in Ann Arbor, retiring in 2004.
Kim's many pastimes included wood working, skiing, boating, golf, and travel. Upon retirement, in addition to working hard to make sure everything was set for his six granddaughters' visits, he also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, Topinabee Development Association and the Indian River Golf Club Building Committee.
Kim is survived by his wife, Mary Jean Wilkins of Cheboygan, MI, daughter Kelley Wilkins (Mark DeGennaro) of Darien, CT and son Jamie (Nikki) Wilkins of Elk Rapids, MI and by his six granddaughters, two nephews, two nieces and many cousins. His sister, Mary Clausen, resides in Okemos, MI and brother Keith (Ingrid) Wilkins in London, England. Kim will be dearly missed.
A service in Okemos and a celebration of life in Indian River will be scheduled later this year, at dates yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Kim's memory to Habitat for Humanity, 9385 North Straits Highway, Cheboygan, MI 49721.
Published in Lansing State Journal from Mar. 17 to Mar. 19, 2020
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lsj/obituary.aspx?n=kim-o-wilkins&pid=195727060