Obituary: Dorothy Jones Wilkinson

Dorothy Wilkinson, a resident of Greenfield of Oak Ridge, passed away Monday, July 28, surrounded by loving family. She was 88.

She was preceded in death by her parents Victor and Kate Jone;, husband Paul; sisters, Mary Helen (and husband Joe), Margaret (and husband Pat), and Maime (and husband Bill); brothers Willard Worth, Woodrow, and David (and Peg); and granddaughter Paige.

As outlined in Denise Kiernan’s “The Girls of Atomic City,” Dorothy Jones came from west Tennessee to the Secret City in 1944, where she met and married Paul Wilkinson. They shared 65 years of marriage before Paul’s passing in June 2010.

In addition to raising her four children, Dorothy volunteered for many activities and hobbies, including as leader of her Girl Scouts Troop, sang in Kern Memorial Methodist Church’s choir as well as with Sweet Adelines, worked in the Oak Ridge Hospital Gift Shop, The PInk Placebo, and The Oak Ridge Museum of Atomic Energy. She and Paul studied with Ethel Howell’s School of Ballroom Dancing and enjoyed many years cha cha’ing with their friends in YAGO (young adults growing old). She was a member of United Methodist Women, and shared a lifetime of good company with her girlfriends in bridge club.

She is survived by her children Adrienne Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Libby Gaffney (husband Randy), and Wendy; grandchildren Keanan (and Jill) Smith, Erin (and Peter) Smith-Curley, Joseph (and Jennifer) Wilkinson, and Patrick and Paul Gaffney; sister in law Jerry Jones; nephew and nieces Jay Patterson, Lisa (and Roger) Fisher, Melanie Richardson, David (and Barb Dugo) Nipp, Tony Jones, and Tim Jones; and great-grandchildren Grace and Willa Curley, Zoey Peterson, as well many close friends she has had since coming to Oak Ridge.

Services will be held at Weatherford Mortuary on Saturday, August 2, with visitation from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and the Celebration of Life begins at 1 p.m. A private entombment will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the charity of your choice.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.