Jack L Wilkins

WILKINS-Jack LeRoy Wilkins, 87, died on June 3, 2011. Jack was born in 1923 in Menlo, Iowa, graduated as a “Benson Bunny” in 1943 & spent four years in the US Army during WW II as a First Lieutenant, Corp of Engineers. In 1945 he married his childhood sweetheart Dorothy Mae Turner & had two daughters, Pam & Julie. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1949 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering & was an avid lifelong Husker football fan. He worked for Omaha Public Power District for 30 years, where as Assistant General Manager, he was responsible for building Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station, & Nebraska City Station, along with five other gas, coal fired units and gas turbines. He served as Chairman of the Mid-Continent Area Reliability Council & as board member & Chairman of the National Electrical Reliability Council. After retirement in 1978 he was recruited by Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to be Senior VP of Power Supply & President of Paragon Resources. Responsible for new power systems, he represented PNM’s interest in Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, managed the addition of two coal fired units at San Juan Generating Station, & the addition of the Blackwater Converter Station. Jack retired for the second time in 1988. Following the death of his wife Dorothy in 1996, Jack married a dear friend & colleague in non-profit work, Nancy Kober. Jack’s greatest joy was in giving to others. During his professional career he served as President of the New Mexico Society of Professional Engineers; as the first President of the Professional Engineers of Nebraska; National Director of the National Society of Professional Engineers & Chair Nebraska Section, of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He was Engineer of the Year for NM Society of Professional Engineers & the Professional Engineers of Nebraska. In 2000 Jack was honored to be designated as a “Fellow” of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Jack served as the Chair of the Industry Advisory Council for the University of New Mexico’s College of Engineering. Community service was very important to Jack having served as Ruling Elder & Chair of a variety of committees at First Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque & Benson Presbyterian Church in Omaha. He served as Board President of the Omaha Home for Boys & Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Albuquerque & Omaha; Board Vice Chair of the American Red Cross, Omaha; Board President of the United Way of the Midlands, Omaha, & Citizen of the Year; board member of the National Board of Futures for Children & the PNM Forerunners Board. In addition to Nebraska football (Go Big Red), his favorite past time was enjoying family & friends & doing projects at the family cabin in Colorado. He was a strong professional leader who led by example, a motivator & mentor, a man who never knew a stranger, with a wit like no other. He was of the “greatest generation”, a genuine “Man of God” & was a kind, gentle & generous man of the highest integrity. The world is a better place because he walked this way. He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Nancy; his daughters Pam Vaughn (Stan) of Omaha, Neb; & Julie Clark (John) of Madison, Wisc; two grandsons Tim Vaughn (Denai) & John Clark (Nicole); granddaughter, Christine Clark Harris (TJ), as well as, five great grandchildren, Cassie Stolp, Victoria Vaugh, Gatlin Clark; Zac & Wade Harris & numerous nieces & nephews. He is pre-deceased by his first wife of 52 years, Dorothy Wilkins, and his granddaughter Suni Stolp. A Celebration of Life will be held at Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo del Norte, NE, Albq 87122 on June 15, 2011 at 11:00 am, with a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jack’s name to University of Nebraska Foundation, 2285 S. 67th St. Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska 68106, or to Sandia Presbyterian Church. Jack's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 7601 Wyoming Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM, 87109 505-821-0010