Wilkinson Kathleen

Kathleen "Skippy" White Wilkinson of Charlottesville, Va., died on Sunday, July 22, 2018, at her home in the Arden Place Apartments. Born on May 7, 1935, at the Women's Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., she was nicknamed Skippy by the delivery nurses after a lovable little boy cartoon character who had a shock of blond hair in the front of his head that sort of curled up. Her parents were CAPT Joseph A. White, USN, and Kathleen Kane White. Kathleen lived around the world both as a Navy Junior and as the wife of her husband, CDR Wilfrid P. Wilkinson, USN (Ret) where her 1000 Watt smile and personality gained many friends. Her early years were lived in Ponce, Puerto Rico then in Sarasota, Fla., Corpus Christi, Texas, Guam, Great Lakes, Ill., and Washington, D.C., where she attended the Georgetown School of Nursing and not only earned her BSN but found time to become the first woman to earn an athletic letter from Georgetown in 1955 and 1956. While working as the lone civilian nurse at the Naval Hospital, Rota, Spain, Kathleen met and married her husband, Bill. Afterwards she lived with him in Charlottesville, Va., D.C., Norfolk, Va., Hingham, Mass., Chantilly, Va., Yokosuka, Japan, Arlington, Va., and Orange Park, Fla. Kathleen is survived by her husband of 59 years, Wilfrid P. Wilkinson III, of Charlottesville, Va; her son, W. Paul Wilkinson IV, of Fairfax, Va. and wife, Mary; daughter, Kathleen P. Wilkinson Pala and husband, Anthony J. of Falls Church, Va.; son, Timothy J. Wilkinson and wife, Diana, of Jacksonville, Fla.; daughter, Kelly A. Wilkinson Coffin and husband, Tad of Ruckersville, Va.; and son, Matthew J. Wilkinson and wife, Sarah, of Charlottesville, Va.; and nine grandchildren, LTJG Wilfrid P. Wilkinson V, Joseph Wilkinson, James Pala, Kathleen M. Pala, Sean Pala, Charles Wilkinson, John Wilkinson, Ward Wilkinson, and Finn Wilkinson, all of whom loved her dearly. A funeral mass will be held 11 a.m. Monday, July 30, 2018, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlottesville, Va. A mass will also to be dedicated to her on a Sunday at the Catholic Community in Crozet, Va. Friends are invited to gather on Sunday evening, July 29, 2018, from 5 until 7 p.m. at Hill and Wood Funeral Home, 201 North First St. Charlottesville, Va. Kathleen dearly loved flowers. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial contributions be made to: Little Sisters of the Poor, 1503 Michaels Rd., Richmond, VA 23229, or The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, P.O. Box 639, Tonopah, AZ 85354. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com.