Herbert Wilkerson, better known as “Pa”, passed away peacefully at home on December 30, 2024 under hospice care after battling a series of health ailments, including lung cancer and heart disease. He was a fighter until the very end.
Herbert loved spending time with his family and is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joanne, daughters Elizabeth and Brooke, and grandchildren Charlie, Lily and Cyrus.
He was preceded in death by his beloved grandson William who gained his angel wings in 2022.
He is also survived by three of his seven siblings, Bobby, Janet and Rachel, as well as many other special family members and friends.
Herbert was born on March 3, 1954 in Williamsburg, Virginia, the son of William and Helen Wilkerson. He grew up in Lanexa, remained in the area, then spent the duration of his life living close to his family in New Kent County. He spent most of his adult life working tirelessly at the paper mill in West Point, now known as West Rock. He was an incredibly hard worker and devoted over 40 years to the company.
After retiring, he took on his favorite role as “Pa”. During this time, he enjoyed attending family events, going to church, playing poker with friends, watching baseball games and relaxing at home eating his favorite snacks. He spent lots of time tinkering around outside and loved nothing more than keeping the grass cut, the yard orderly and his truck clean.
Herbert was a determined, generous, playful and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. He loved to be silly and joke around with everyone around him. His kind, jovial and carefree spirit will certainly be missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Proclaiming Grace Outreach, a local nonprofit that provides a food pantry and other services to those in need within the community.
