Vera Lou Wilkerson

Vera Lou Wilkerson, 74, a Phoenix native, passed away on July 15, 2008 after a brave battle with cancer. She was on the swim team at St. Mary's High School and also attended West High School where her father was dean of boys and she was a pom-pom girl. She had a very successful and lengthy real estate career which she later shared with her loving and devoted husband James Lee Wilkerson, who was also her primary caretaker, and was married to him for 53 years. She leaves behind 2 sons, Jim and Tom, and a daughter Julie. Jim and his wife Susan live in Arcadia and have 2 daughters, Kaylen and Melanie. Tom and his wife Kim have 2 kids, Nathan and Sarah and lived near Vera and Jim in North Central Phoenix. Julie and her boyfriend Mark Bice live in the Arrowhead area of North Glendale. For many years Vera sang in the First Christian Church choir and also cooked for over 250 kids at church Planning Conferences in Prescott, AZ. In 1964, she was Mrs. Arizona and participated in the Mrs. America pageant in Florida where she won awards for sewing and cooking, which were always two of her passions. Vera was part of the Visiting Nurse Service of Phoenix and worked tirelessly on book drives. She and Jim traveled all over Europe and to Asia and took several Caribbean cruises courtesy of Jim's insulation business relations. She loved to go down to Rocky Point and Cholla Bay as well as to the family boat up at Lake Powell. Vera had her own real estate office at one time and was well known throughout the Encanto/Palmcroft area and North Central corridor. She and Jim enjoyed attending First Christian Church and later Chaparral Christian Church in Scottsdale and have many friends there who will miss her. She is at peace with the Lord and joins her parents Almeda and William Vaughn and also her brother George and twin sister Mae Sue. A Memorial service will be held at 1:30 pm on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Chaparral Christian Church of Scottsdale, 6451 E. Shea Blvd. Donations to Hospice of the Valley will be accepted in her name in lieu of flowers.