Charles Lee "Charlie" Wilkins

Charles Lee Wilkins "Charlie", age 86, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, after a short illness in Fayetteville, AR, surrounded by the love of his family. He will be deeply missed.
Charlie was born on August 14, 1938 in Los Angeles, California, where he spent his early life. He earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Chapman College in 1961, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Oregon in 1966, and performed postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1966 to 1967. Charlie went on to hold professorships at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of California, Riverside, where he was promoted to Distinguished Professor in 1997 after serving as Chairman of the Department of Chemistry from 1982 to 1989 and as Associate Dean of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences from 1994 to 1997. In 1998, he was recruited as a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He retired from the University of Arkansas in 2022 as Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
Charlie made pivotal contributions to the fields of analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry that achieved regional, national and international recognition, and his graduate students and postdoctoral associates at all three universities have gone on to prominent careers in academia and industry. He also left a legacy of establishing core facilities that significantly transformed research capabilities at those institutions. He received the Arkansas Alumni Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award for Research in 2003 and the University of Arkansas Master Researcher Award in 2005. From the American Chemical Society (ACS), he received the Tolman Medal in 1994 for his contributions to chemistry, the Franklin and Field Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mass Spectrometry in 1997 (ACS's highest award in that field), the Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Chemical Instrumentation in 2013, and the Southwest Region Award in 2015. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1996 and a Fellow of the ACS in 2010. He was dedicated to service through many leadership roles in professional scientific societies and editorial boards, most recently as Chief Editor of the International Journal of Analytical Chemistry.
Charlie's thoughtfulness was cherished by his biological and scientific families alike. He was beloved for his steadfast belief in people, whose careers and life paths were often profoundly reshaped through his mentorship. Driven by a selfless spirit, he tirelessly advocated for causes for the greater good, consistently finding creative ways to navigate challenges that would have deterred others. He had a gift for impactful spontaneity, arriving unexpectedly to offer support or ease burdens, leaving an indelible mark on those he encountered. He will continue to inspire us through his enduring memory. His enthusiasm for fine food, good wine, lighthearted humor, and engaging conversation will be fondly remembered.
He was preceded in death by his father Richard Wilkins, mother Lenore Mandt McKean, sister Janet Kay Freeman, and brothers Dane Thomas Wilkins and Creighton Elliot Wilkins.
He is survived by his loving wife Ingrid Fritsch, also a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, their children Evelyn Mayrose Sholomon and Eric Fritsch Wilkins; son from Charlie's first marriage Mark Randall Wilkins, Mark's wife Nancy Jean Linford, and their children Emma Jordan Linford Wilkins and Patrik Aaron Linford Wilkins; mother-in-law Regina Fritsch; brother Kit Randolph Wilkins, his wife Rosemary Orendorff, and their daughter Kathryn Rose Wilkins; sister-in-law Elise Nicole Wilkins and her children Sasha Claire Wilkins, Jessica Dawn Osborn, and Jordan Dean Osborn; and brother-in-law Jack Freeman and his children Debbie Kay Freeman and Fred Mark Freeman.
Charlie was a devoted supporter of KUAF public radio. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to KUAF in his memory online at https://supportKUAF.com or by mail to 9 S. School Ave., Fayetteville AR, 72701. A public memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on August 1, 2025 at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home of Fayetteville, 4520 N Crossover Rd. His remains will be laid to rest in a private service for family at Fairview Memorial Gardens that afternoon.