John Paul Wilkins

John Paul Wilkins

John "Jock" Paul Wilkins, 90, of Charlottesville died Friday, August 22, 2008, at Westminster Canterbury.

He was born in Gaylesburg, Illinois, on June 21, 1918, the son of the late Amy and Mathias Wilkins. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Grace E. Wilkins.

John graduated from Knox College in Illinois; the Univer-sity of Illinois with a BS; and Penn State University with a PhD in Organic Chemistry. His graduate work was instru-mental in the development of RDX (eventually becoming Torpex), which contributed to the war effort considerably by enabling allied ships to sink enemy ships successfully. He joined the War Chemical Board with the simulated rank of Colonel and worked on the mass production of penicillin and later triaged information from recently captured German factories. After the war, he joined Dupont, and with five lifelong friends, built the first mylar plant in Buffalo, New York. Later he managed the Chestnut Run Research Lab. He moved into film sales and eventually ran Dupont Europe.

At age 55, he retired to his lifelong project of restoring and rebuilding an 1804 house in Lancaster County, Penn-sylvania. He took courses at the community college becoming certified in masonry, electrical, and carpentry. He once bought a broken down Caterpillar bulldozer; took courses in Diesel mechanics and welding; took it apart; put it back together and it ran the first time. He used it to do landscaping. "You don't need a Caterpillar tractor very often, but when you do, nothing else really does it".

His main hobby was hunting game birds and for many years he was skeet champion of the Dupont Aurora Gun Club. Many people called to say they never had a better boss or knew a kinder man.

He is survived by his son, Paul C. Wilkins MD of Charlottesville; daughter, Joan E. Wilkins PhD. of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; a ex daughter-in-law, Wenche Wilkins of Charlottesville. He was probably one of the best grandfathers two grandsons could have, Jon Wilkins and Lyle Swann. He was a quiet, extremely modest, unfailing gentle, and loving man.

There will be a memorial service 3 p.m. Sunday, November 23, 2008, at Westminister Canterbury Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 2200 Old Ivy Road, Suite 2, Charlottesville, VA 22903.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.