Virginia Wilkinson

SOUTH ROYALTON — Virginia Hayes Wilkinson, 85, died Sunday afternoon, June 29, 2008 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in White River Junction.

She was born January 27, 1923 in Arlington, Mass., the daughter of Edmund W. and Gladys M. (Zinck) Hayes. She was raised in Arlington, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. She moved to Hartford, Conn. in 1936, and there was married to Robert A. Wilkinson on June 5, 1948. She had worked at the University of Hartford, and summered in Vermont with her family since 1965, finally moving to Vermont in 1982. Her husband died in 1987.

In Vermont, she had worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service at Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Park in Woodstock, and as a docent at the Porter Music Box museum in Randolph. She was a member of the WAVES, Catholic Daughters and St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Bethel, and enjoyed traveling, history, and spending time with family.

Survivors include her sons, Charles A. Wilkinson of Clinton, Conn. and James R. Wilkinson of Randolph; daughters, Virginia W. Maillet of Winsted, Conn., Kathryn W. Rathmann of South Royalton, Margaret Wilkinson-Nail of Bloomfield, Conn., Claire W. Epchook of South Royalton, Mary W. Lucas of Tucson, Ariz., Elise W. Burke of Simsbury, Conn.; and Elaine Wilkinson of Granby, Conn., sisters, Charlotte Walters of Essex, Conn. and Judith Beatson of Rockingham; and 12 grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her brothers, Edmund and Albert Hayes, and sisters, Marion Weitzel and Dorothy Neal.

A mass of Christian burial will be held Thursday, July 3 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Bethel. Burial with military honors will follow at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center. There are no calling hours.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Veterans Administration Hospital Hospice Program, 215 North Main, White River Junction, Vt. 05009. Arrangements are by the Day Funeral Home in Randolph, www.dayfunerals. com.

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