Mary Elizabeth Smith Wilkerson

1919 - 2004

Mary Elizabeth Smith Wilkerson, 84, co-publisher of The Comanche Chief for 40 years, died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004, at a Brownwood hospital.

Funeral: 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Comanche, with the Rev. Matt Hall officiating. Burial: in historic Oakwood Cemetery in Comanche. Visitation: The family will receive friends 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at Hall & Sons Funeral Home in Comanche.

Pallbearers will be Ben Jarrett, H.R. Jefferies, John Lochridge, Odell "Woody" Ormsby, Bob Dudley, John Dudley, Jim Dudley, T.J. Dudley and John Gleaton. Honorary pallbearers will be Lance Michael Wilkerson, James Bradley Wilkerson, David Caleb Williams, Timothy Reilley, Richard Donoghue, Russell Durham and Dr. Jim Hallmark.

Memorials: If desired, memorials may be made to a charity of choice or to First United Methodist Church, 217 E. Grand, Comanche, Texas 76442; Friends of Historic Comanche Inc., Box 453, Comanche, Texas 76442; Susan G. Komen Foundation; or the Comanche County Unit of the American Cancer Society, 804 W. Wright, Comanche, Texas 76442.

Mary was born in Fort Worth, the oldest child of John Roy and Qumy Smith, on March 3, 1919. She was an honor student of the first class to graduate from Paschal High School and lived in Fort Worth until her marriage to James Claude Wilkerson Jr. of Comanche on March 22, 1941. She moved to Comanche, where she joined her husband and her husband's family in the newspaper publishing and printing business. After her husband's death in 1964, she became co-publisher of The Comanche Chief, working full time, writing her popular "Chit Chat" column, as well as keeping the books for the business for over 30 years until her retirement in 2001.

Although Mary always remembered her youth in Fort Worth with great fondness, Comanche became her adopted city. She was a tireless champion of the community and all its activities, welcoming newcomers and continuously promoting her Comanche.

Mary was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the CHS Ex-Students Association in 1998 and the Comanche Chamber of Commerce Cornerstone Award in 2003. She was a member of the Comanche Study Club and the Comanche Garden Club, and was an active member of First United Methodist Church. She was an avid reader and loved to play bridge.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Claude Wilkerson Jr.; her parents, John Roy Smith and Qumy Couch Smith of Fort Worth; sister, Sissy Smith Trickey; and son-in-law, David Williams of Fort Worth.

Survivors: Son, James Claude Wilkerson III and wife, Nancy, of Comanche; daughter, Marsha Wilkerson Williams of Fort Worth; sister, Flora Mae Crocker of Mansfield; brother, John Roy Smith Jr. and wife, Barbara, of Brownwood; grandchildren, Lance Michael Wilkerson and wife, Jan, of Comanche, Nicole Reilley and husband, Timothy, of Southlake, James Bradley Wilkerson of Lubbock, David Caleb Williams of Midland and Erin Williams Donoghue and husband, Richard, of Austin; great-grandchildren, Brooke, Caroline, Logan, Regan and Kate; sisters-in-law, Nancy Wilkerson Barton and husband, Bob, of Kerrville and Alma Jean Wetzel and husband, Charles, of San Angelo; brother-in-law, William Wilkerson and wife, Judy, of Austin; four nieces; and nine nephews.