Donald Wilkins Obituary

Donald Ernest "Don" Wilkins, 90, of Moncks Corner, SC, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning at his residence. Born on December 8, 1934, in Fort Worth, TX, he was the son of Benjamin Franklin Wilkins and Grace Miellmier Wilkins. A dedicated public servant, Mr. Wilkins served as the Assistant Fire Chief for the Moncks Corner Fire Department for 30 years. Assistant Chief Wilkins was a proud US Air Force veteran and a man of the Presbyterian faith. He graduated from Fort Worth Technical High School in 1952, and then chose to serve his Country by entering the Air Force following his graduation. As a man of many talents, in 1961 and 1962, Assistant Chief Wilkins worked for WPFA Radio as a disc jockey in Pensacola, FL. However, most of his employment was spent in the paper business working for Knight Paper based in Georgia and Henley Paper in Greenville, SC. Caskey Paper finally brought him to the Lowcountry, and he later opened his own print shop in North Charleston called "The Numbers Game", which he operated until 2006. Assistant Chief Wilkins' firefighting career began as a volunteer in 1968 in Huntington, WV. He later moved to South Carolina for a job opportunity in 1973, and soon found himself as one of the founding members of the Oak Grove Fire Department in Lexington County. He was affiliated with many departments throughout the state over the years, and was a member of the Moncks Corner Fire Department as a volunteer since 1991. At Moncks Corner, Assistant Chief Wilkins greatly influenced the professional evolution of the Department and directly contributed to the Town obtaining an ISO Class 2 rating. He became a fire service instructor in 1979, after completing the instructor course at the SC Fire Academy, and served as a fire service instructor for the SC Fire Academy for over 40 years, the majority of which were spent in a volunteer capacity. He also served as a "subject matter expert" of various disciplines on numerous curriculum development committees. In addition to his contributions to fire service, he served with distinction in law enforcement. Assistant Chief Wilkins volunteered as a Reserve Officer with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department and later served as a Reserve Officer with the North Charleston Police Department. His dual commitment to fire safety and law enforcement highlights his unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of South Carolina's citizens. On August 18, 2020, the Mayor and Town Council Members of the Town of Moncks Corner presented Assistant Chief Wilkins with a proclamation honoring his over 25 years of service to the Town. The South Carolina State Firefighters' Association also presented Assistant Chief Wilkins with the "Clyde B. Spills Instructor of the Year Award" on June 10, 2021. After 57 distinguished years in fire service, including 46 years as an exceptional instructor, Assistant Chief Wilkins was awarded South Carolina's highest civilian honor, The Order of the Palmetto, on May 3, 2025. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Pamela Jackson Wilkins; his daughters, Jeanne Wilkins-Gunter Stone and her husband Tim of West Columbia, and Lynn Pasko and her husband Jim of Lexington; two sons, Garner Wilkins and his wife Pam of West Columbia, and Brian Shoemaker and his wife Dana of Moncks Corner; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Miranda Gunter, and was formerly married to the late, Mary Black Wilkins. Assistant Chief Wilkins' memorial service will be 1:00 PM Saturday afternoon, July 12, 2025, at the Berkeley High School Gymnasium, directed by Dial-Murray Funeral Home, Moncks Corner. The family will receive friends at the gymnasium from 11:30 AM until the hour of service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to LFST, 132 Charpia Ave., Summerville, SC 29483 (http://www.firefightersupport.org/).