Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
George Wilkinson Obituary
WILKINSON
REV. GEORGE ALBERT WILKINSON JR.,
Reverend George Albert Wilkinson, Jr, J.D., 89, of Avenue, MD passed away on April 16, 2023 at home.
He was born on September 9, 1933, in Washington, D.C. to the late George Albert Wilkinson, Sr. and Lillian (Hayden) Wilkinson in Washington, D.C. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Mary Anne Reilly, for 38 years until her death in 1996.
He is survived by his children: Anne Rajagopalan (Shrin) of Raleigh, NC, Mary Regina "Jean" Wilkinson (Keith) of Warrenton, VA, Thomas Wilkinson (Jennifer) of Avenue, MD, Kathleen Carmody (Brennan) of Glen Allen, VA, Rose Crunkleton (Joe) of Owings, MD, Bernadette Wilkinson of Tucson, AZ, George Wilkinson III (Jen) of Bellingham, WA, James Wilkinson II (Nipa) of Berwyn Heights, MD, Rebecca Wilkinson (Joy) of Oceanside, CA, John Wilkinson (Violet) of Colonial Beach, VA, Daniel Wilkinson of Temple Hills, MD, and Megan Wilkinson of San Francisco, CA; sisters, Joan Craft (Gary) of Bradenton, FL and Susan Burgoyne (Jerry) of Prescott, AZ; sister-in-law, Maureen Owens of Henderson, NV, 29 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren and another on the way. In addition to his parents and his wife, Mary Anne, he was preceded in death by his sister, Eleanor "Louise" Keegan.
Father Wilkinson was an attorney for 35 years with a small general law practice in Hyattsville, Maryland. Even while running a small business and supporting his ever-growing family, he made the time to serve as President of elementary and middle school PTA's and was an active member of the College Park Rotary Club for many years.
His early years were split between his family home in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington DC, and the family's historic country property, AKA "Down the Country" near Avenue, MD, on the banks of his beloved St. Clement's Bay, where he ultimately passed into everlasting glory.
His attended high school at St. John's College High School in Northwest DC, when he first met young Mary Anne Reilly at a Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Sadie Hawkins Dance. He was smitten, and they agreed to set aside their individual plans to become a priest and nun, respectively, to join in holy matrimony and start a family. They wed in 1957.
His undergraduate years were spent at Georgetown University, for which his 12 UM Terrapin children forgive him. From 1957-1959 he served as an officer in the US Army at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts. Later he attended Catholic University Law School, entering the DC and Maryland Bar in 1964.
A devout Catholic, following Mary Anne's death in 1996 he again felt called to the priesthood. Fr. Wilkinson was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on May 20, 2000. After seminary studies at Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington in Saint Matthew's Cathedral on June 9, 2001. As an ordination gift, his children presented him with a chalice, with his and his wife's wedding bands affixed.
Father Wilkinson was first assigned to Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland; then in 2003 as Parochial Vicar to Sacred Heart Parish in La Plata, Maryland. In 2005, he was appointed Parochial Administrator of Holy Redeemer Parish in College Park, Maryland and as Pastor in 2006. Upon his retirement from the priesthood on July 6, 2012, he moved west to assist in parishes in Globe, San Carlos and Yuma, Arizona to minister to Native Americans, an area of lifelong passion for him and his wife. He then traveled extensively to take advantage of free lodging among the diaspora of his family, and eventually settled in St. Mary's County, returning Down the Country for good. The final mass he attended was the Mass of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. He was called home by the Lord on the Sunday of Divine Mercy.
Fun Fact: Fr. Wilkinson had received last rites as a teenager during a serous bout with Typhoid. Therefore, by the time he was 68, he had received all seven Holy Sacraments!
The family will receive friends on Friday, April 21, 2023 for a viewing from 3 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 3 p.m., at Holy Redeemer Church, 4902 Berwyn Road, College Park, MD 20740. There will be a Vigil Mass to follow at 7:30 p.m. A second viewing will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 9 to 10 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., at Holy Redeemer Church. Interment will be held at 3 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cemetery, 23080 Maddox Road, Bushwood, MD 20618.
The family asks you please consider memorial contributions to:
St. Joseph's Indian School, P.O. Box 100, Chamberlain, SD 57325 or online at:
https://give.stjo.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6740&6740.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_src=tnd
Holy Angels Church, 21340 Colton Point Road, Avenue, MD 20609, or online at:
https://membership.faithdirect.net/MD788
Holy Redeemer Church and School, 4902 Berwyn Road, College Park, MD 20740, or online at:
https://membership.faithdirect.net/MD504
REV. GEORGE ALBERT WILKINSON JR.,
Reverend George Albert Wilkinson, Jr, J.D., 89, of Avenue, MD passed away on April 16, 2023 at home.
He was born on September 9, 1933, in Washington, D.C. to the late George Albert Wilkinson, Sr. and Lillian (Hayden) Wilkinson in Washington, D.C. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Mary Anne Reilly, for 38 years until her death in 1996.
He is survived by his children: Anne Rajagopalan (Shrin) of Raleigh, NC, Mary Regina "Jean" Wilkinson (Keith) of Warrenton, VA, Thomas Wilkinson (Jennifer) of Avenue, MD, Kathleen Carmody (Brennan) of Glen Allen, VA, Rose Crunkleton (Joe) of Owings, MD, Bernadette Wilkinson of Tucson, AZ, George Wilkinson III (Jen) of Bellingham, WA, James Wilkinson II (Nipa) of Berwyn Heights, MD, Rebecca Wilkinson (Joy) of Oceanside, CA, John Wilkinson (Violet) of Colonial Beach, VA, Daniel Wilkinson of Temple Hills, MD, and Megan Wilkinson of San Francisco, CA; sisters, Joan Craft (Gary) of Bradenton, FL and Susan Burgoyne (Jerry) of Prescott, AZ; sister-in-law, Maureen Owens of Henderson, NV, 29 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren and another on the way. In addition to his parents and his wife, Mary Anne, he was preceded in death by his sister, Eleanor "Louise" Keegan.
Father Wilkinson was an attorney for 35 years with a small general law practice in Hyattsville, Maryland. Even while running a small business and supporting his ever-growing family, he made the time to serve as President of elementary and middle school PTA's and was an active member of the College Park Rotary Club for many years.
His early years were split between his family home in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington DC, and the family's historic country property, AKA "Down the Country" near Avenue, MD, on the banks of his beloved St. Clement's Bay, where he ultimately passed into everlasting glory.
His attended high school at St. John's College High School in Northwest DC, when he first met young Mary Anne Reilly at a Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Sadie Hawkins Dance. He was smitten, and they agreed to set aside their individual plans to become a priest and nun, respectively, to join in holy matrimony and start a family. They wed in 1957.
His undergraduate years were spent at Georgetown University, for which his 12 UM Terrapin children forgive him. From 1957-1959 he served as an officer in the US Army at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts. Later he attended Catholic University Law School, entering the DC and Maryland Bar in 1964.
A devout Catholic, following Mary Anne's death in 1996 he again felt called to the priesthood. Fr. Wilkinson was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on May 20, 2000. After seminary studies at Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington in Saint Matthew's Cathedral on June 9, 2001. As an ordination gift, his children presented him with a chalice, with his and his wife's wedding bands affixed.
Father Wilkinson was first assigned to Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland; then in 2003 as Parochial Vicar to Sacred Heart Parish in La Plata, Maryland. In 2005, he was appointed Parochial Administrator of Holy Redeemer Parish in College Park, Maryland and as Pastor in 2006. Upon his retirement from the priesthood on July 6, 2012, he moved west to assist in parishes in Globe, San Carlos and Yuma, Arizona to minister to Native Americans, an area of lifelong passion for him and his wife. He then traveled extensively to take advantage of free lodging among the diaspora of his family, and eventually settled in St. Mary's County, returning Down the Country for good. The final mass he attended was the Mass of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. He was called home by the Lord on the Sunday of Divine Mercy.
Fun Fact: Fr. Wilkinson had received last rites as a teenager during a serous bout with Typhoid. Therefore, by the time he was 68, he had received all seven Holy Sacraments!
The family will receive friends on Friday, April 21, 2023 for a viewing from 3 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 3 p.m., at Holy Redeemer Church, 4902 Berwyn Road, College Park, MD 20740. There will be a Vigil Mass to follow at 7:30 p.m. A second viewing will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 9 to 10 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., at Holy Redeemer Church. Interment will be held at 3 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cemetery, 23080 Maddox Road, Bushwood, MD 20618.
The family asks you please consider memorial contributions to:
St. Joseph's Indian School, P.O. Box 100, Chamberlain, SD 57325 or online at:
https://give.stjo.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6740&6740.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_src=tnd
Holy Angels Church, 21340 Colton Point Road, Avenue, MD 20609, or online at:
https://membership.faithdirect.net/MD788
Holy Redeemer Church and School, 4902 Berwyn Road, College Park, MD 20740, or online at:
https://membership.faithdirect.net/MD504
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by The Washington Post on Apr. 20, 2023.
Memories and Condolences
for George Wilkinson
1 Entry
Mary Rodriguez
January 19, 2024
Father Wilkinson baptized my grandson
He gave the most beautiful and memorable service I´ve ever heard or seen.
Showing 1 - 1 of 1 results
Make a Donation
in George Wilkinson's name
Memorial Events
for George Wilkinson
How to support George's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreResources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read more
The Five Stages of Grief
They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read moreWays to honor George Wilkinson's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
