Edward William Wilkins, 93, of Rainycrest Home for the Aged, 550 Osborne St., Fort Frances, Ont., passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2000 at La Verendrye General Hospital in Fort Frances.
He was born Feb. 6, 1907 in Maidstone, County of Kent, England to the late Edward and Jane Wilkins.
Mr. Wilkins came to Fort Frances as a child, and have lived north of LaVallee for several years. He had served with C.I.B.C. until the age of 21, when he took over his father’s florist business on Crowe Avenue in Fort Frances.
He later opened a flower shop on the 300 block of Scott Street, which he later expanded into Wilkin’s Flower and China Ltd. at 261 Scott St. In 1961, he moved the greenhouse from Crowe Avenue to King’s Highway.
He had served on the Fort Frances Board of Education, Fort Frances town council, and many other boards and commissions in the community. He was a member of four Masonic Orders; Granite Lodge, Alberton Chapter, Ledger Perceptory, and Khartum Temple. He was a Past Master of the Granite Lodge for 53 years. He also was a member of St. John’s Anglican Church.
His happiest moments were working in the greenhouse and garden planting flowers, where he could often be heard by the neighbours singing excerpts from Grand Opera and Gilbert and Sullivan.
Some of Ed’s most cherished moments were spent with family and friends at Cedar Island on Rainy Lake. He also spent many winters in Sarasota, Fla.
Edward was united in marriage July 18, 1933 to the former Dorothy Myers, who predeceased him Oct. 29, 1999. He also was predeceased by three sisters, May Gillon, Doris Hamilton, and Ivy Lynch.
He is survived by two sons, Thomas and wife Mary, of Dryden and their children, Debbie and husband Martin MacKinnon, of Dryden, Dorie and husband Doug Beaushene, of Balmertown, Dawn Wilkins of Vancouver, Patricia and husband William Wrolstad, of Dryden, and Daniel Wilkins of Dryden, and son Peter and wife Janet, of Fort Frances and their children, Marion and husband Randy Beamish, of Thunder Bay, Sandra and husband Kevin Enns, of Minnedosa, Man., and Mark Wilkins and fiancé Andrea Hawrylak, of Red Lake.
Also surviving are great-grandchildren, Nicole and Bryan Beaushene, Melissa and Neil MacKinnon, Clancy and Molly Doherty, Alexandra and Nicholas Enns, and Liam Wrolstad; sister-in-law, Mable Singer of White Rock, B.C.; as well numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Thursday, June 29, 2000 at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Anglican Church in Fort Frances. Rev. Terry McNear officiated, with interment in Fort Frances Cemetery in Fort Frances.
Friends visited with the family Wednesday evening at Green Funeral Home. A Masonic Granite Lodge memorial service was held at 7:30 p.m. at Green Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Danny Wilkins, Mark Wilkins, Bryan Beaushene, Doug Beaushene, Martin MacKinnon, and Neil MacKinnon.