Hattie Sue (Susie) Wilkins

Posted

(Feb. 9, 2001)

Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon, Feb. 12 at Miratksy-Easton Funeral Home for Hattie Sue (Susie) Wilkins, 80, who died Friday, Feb. 9 at the Powell Nursing Home.

The Rev. Jarrell Tharp, former pastor of First United Methodist Church in Powell, officiated at local services. A second funeral service was scheduled Friday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at Showgo Memorial Home in Astoria, Ill., with Gary Sheets officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Township, Ill.

Sue Wilkins and her husband, Gerald Wilkins, were part of the Powell business community for more than 45 years.

She was born Sept. 12, 1926, in Macomb, Ill., to John Albert and Bonnie B. (Curless) Wherley.

She married Gerald Wilkins on Sept. 8, 1944, in California while he was based in Hawaii with the U.S. Navy. After his military discharge, they made their first home in Astoria, Ill., where he opened his first jewelry store. He was in business in Astoria from 1945 to 1952.

After a brief stop in Casper, the family came to Powell in 1955 to open Wilkins Jewelry. She assisted regularly at the store on main street.

In 1972, she and her husband purchased the Bonner Store across the street, and she managed the department store while her husband continued the jewelry business. A few years later, she sold the department store business and again became a helper at the jewelry store.

Survivors include her husband Gerald Wilkins of Powell; a son, Gerry Wilkins and wife Pat of Salt Lake City, Utah, and their five children, Christopher, Scott and his wife Tiffany, Chris and his wife Kori, Brandy and Cody; daughter Sallie Wentz of Scottsbluff, Nebr., and her two children, Scott Wentz and wife Jody and Mike Wentz and wife D'Lee; daughter Nancy Hargrove and husband Dick of Helena, Mont., and their daughter, Bonnie; and daughter Teri Ann Drake and husband Paul of Helena, Mont., and their children Lisa and Steven; and four great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by an aunt and uncle, Robert and Emily Curless of Astoria, Ill.; a brother, John Phillip Wherley and wife Lois Ann of Scottsdale, Ariz., and their sons Tim and Tom.

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