Helen Elizabeth Wilkins

Helen Elizabeth Pearl "Betty" Summerlin Wilkins, 85, of Biloxi, MS, died Friday January 28, 2011, in her home, surrounded by her children, of pancreatic cancer. Mrs. Wilkins was born in Memphis, TN, and was adopted and brought to live in Biloxi. She was a 1940 graduate of Biloxi High School, where she had been a cheerleader and graduated at the age of 15. She married James Savarro in 1942 and had two children. Although they later divorced, she maintained a life-long close relationship with her in-laws. She worked at the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, and later at Keesler AFB where she met and in 1950 married George Ivan Wilkins of Rocky Mount, NC. They had two children. She attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, during the late 1950s. She wrote articles for the Air Force Times as an independent contributor. She enjoyed her role as an Air Force Officer's wife and the interesting places they lived, such as Manchester, England; Hamilton, Bermuda; Sacramento, CA; Cocoa Beach, FL; Washington, DC, and, Biloxi. She was honored to be a member of the Arlington Ladies at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. In her spare time, she enjoyed writing, painting, fishing, golfing and bowling. She spent her life loving and caring for her four children and husband of 57 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Col. George I. Wilkins; her adoptive parents Eugene and Nancy Summerlin of Biloxi; her biological parents, Lena Denton Quarles of Memphis, TN, and Doyle Hale of Oxford, MS; and former in-laws, Moseline and Floris Kulivan Savarro. She is survived by her children, Mrs. Trudy Ann Wilkins O'Gorman of Conroe, TX; James M. Wilkins of Las Vegas, NV; Mrs. Nancy Virginia Wilkins Schneider of Humble, TX; and Capt. George Ivan Wilkins Jr. of Biloxi, MS.; seven grandchildren, Thomas M. O'Gorman Jr., Mrs. Elizabeth A. O'Gorman Compton, Sean A. O'Gorman, Austin W. Schneider, Bradford T. Schneider, George I. Wilkins III, and John S. Wilkins; and four great-grandchildren, Abigail and Alexandra O'Gorman, Hayley A. Adams, and Cooper W. Schneider. She is also survived by her half-sisters and brothers, Mrs. Margaret Limberg of Cordova, TN; Mrs. Shirlene Meek of Memphis, TN; Mrs. Pat Wages of New Albany, MS; Marl Lee Quarles of Germantown, TN; and Stanley M. Quarles of Nesbit, MS. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. Saturday, February 5, 2011, at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue, in Biloxi. Mrs. Wilkins will be sent to Arlington, VA where she will be buried with her beloved husband at Arlington National Cemetery.