Served His Nation and Community

Robert F. Wilkins, 94, of Fremont, died Tuesday, April 19, 2011. Services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Arlington Community Church. Interment with military honors conducted by members of VFW Post 8332 and American Legion Post 71 of Arlington will be at the Arlington Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 22, at Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. and also one hour prior to services.

Robert F. "Bob" Wilkins was born April 2, 1917, to Grover and Fern (Schafer) Wilkins. He grew up in rural Kennard and graduated from Kennard High School in 1934 before attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for one year. After college, he entered the Army Air Force and served from Jan. 13, 1942, to Oct. 8, 1945, at Normandy, northern France and England.

He moved to rural Arlington in 1965, where he farmed and raised livestock. He had moved to Nye Legacy in Fremont in July of 2009.

On Feb. 22, 1944, he married Marian Menking in Arlington.

Mr. Wilkins was a member of the Arlington Community Church and a member of the VFW Post 8332 of Arlington. He served on the State Fair Board for 32 years. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge at Kennard which later merged with Arlington. He was a former 4-H leader, served on the former March School Board, and had been on the Washington County Board of Supervisors.

He is survived by his sons and daughter-in-law, Dennis Wilkins of Kennard, and Tom and Mardell Wilkins of Fremont; daughter and son-in-law, Beverly and Norbert Cent of Columbus; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Dr. Gene Wilkins of Ennis, Mont.; sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Gene Kruger of Elkhorn.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marian, in August of 1995; three brothers, Bill, Joe and Jamie Wilkins; sister, Eva Pearson; and great-grandson, Alex Lucas Wilkins.

Memorials are suggested to the Arlington Community Church or the Arlington Education Foundation.