Johnston County, NC - Obituary of Virgil R. Wilkins, 1978

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Aiken Standard, Aiken, SC, Wednesday, 15 November 1978	

Virgil R. Wilkins, chief of staff of the Aiken County Sherriff's Department, 
died yesterday after suffering a heart attack. Wilkins, 48, a veteran of law 
enforcement in Aiken County, entered the Aiken Community Hospital Saturday 
morning after complaining of chest pains. He died yesterday at 11.15 a.m.

Sherriff Paul D. Grant, who had worked with Wilkins on and off for the past 
25 years, said, "Mr. Wilkins death is a great loss to the department and to 
the people of Aiken County. He has been working under great stress and strain 
as do all police officers of these times. I lost a dear friend, and the youth 
of this community lost a dedicated police officer who gave many years to 
youth activities during his early career."

Wilkins is well remembered by county youths for programs he implemented. He 
also was the recent recipient of the Silver Star for Bravery Award. The 
American Law Enforcement Officers Association presented Wilkins with the 
award last May for the role he played in handling the 1977 jail break at the 
Aiken County jail. He was later instrumental in aiding in the capture of the 
prisoners who escaped. The Silver Star was the latest in a long list of 
awards presented to Wilkins. 

Before coming to the Sherriff's Department in 1971, he was a police officer 
with the city of Aiken for 14 years. He had also been Director of Public 
Safety in Eden, NC and town manager of another small Tar Heel Community.

Born in Goldsboro, NC, but grew up in Selma. He was a US Navy Veteran of the 
Korean Conflict. Having not finished high school before his naval service, 
he came back to Selma, went back to Selma High School, graduated, and attended 
Campell Junior College. He was active in many civic organizations and was a 
member of Levels Baptist Church and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors are his wife, Phyllis Reese Wilkins; daughters, Tanjia Wilkins 
Ergle and Hollye Wilkins; a son, Virgil R. Wilkins, Jr.; 4 sisters, Estelle 
Weaver and Maxine Seawell of Selma, NC, Ruth Hughes of Norfolk, VA, and Leone 
Johnson of Aiken; 3 brothers, John Wilkins of Raleigh, NC, James Wilkins of 
Durham, NC and Seth Wilkins of Tampa, FL.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at First Baptist Church. 
Burial will be in Aiken Memorial Park. Honorary pallbearers will be the 
deputies of the Sherriff's Department, Aiken Public Safety Officers, Highway 
Patrol Officers, Aiken Youth Correctional Officials and city and county 
officials.

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