James Robert Wilkerson, Jr.

JAMES ROBERT "BUBBA" WILKERSON, JR., resident of the Williston Community and husband of Rachel Thomas Wilkerson, died at 12:43 A.M. Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. He was 45 years of age and died following an extended illness.
Funeral services for Mr. Wilkerson were conducted at 2 P.M. Friday, March 14th at the Peebles Main Funeral Chapel in Somerville with Dr. Jim Whitley, pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church at Laconia. He was assisted by Rev. Claudie Hammers, retired minister at Liberty Baptist Church. Interment followed in the Liberty Cemetery. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home - Main Chapel of Somerville.
Mr. Wilkerson was born July 21, 1962, in Fayette County, the son of the late James Robert Wilkerson, Sr. and the late Nois Geraldine Elrod Wilkerson. He was educated in the public school system of Fayette County and was married August 11, 1992, to the former Rachel Thomas of Fayette County, employee of the Regions Bank in Somerville, who survives.
Mr. Wilkerson was a lifelong resident of the Somerville area and was a member of the Liberty Baptist Church. He was an employee of the State of Tennessee Department of Transportation before retiring in 2004 for health reasons. Mr. Wilkerson was an outdoors person who received much pleasure in fishing, deer hunting, squirrel hunting and camping as long as health permitted. Despite Mr. Wilkerson's illness, he remained a loving husband and father and this love was returned by his caring, devoted family and many friends.
In addition to his wife of fifteen years, Mr. Wilkerson is survived by his daughter, Emily Faith Wilkerson, his son, Thomas Jameson Wilkerson, his foster-children, Shannon Spencer, Andy Curtis, Dylan Curtis, all of the home and his sister, Tanya Wilkerson of Oakland.
Those honored to serve as casketbearers were Chris Austin, Charles Edward Elrod, Robert "Rerun" Kee, Robbie Thomas, John Michael Cook and Johnathan Cook.
The family request that memorials be directed to the Liberty Cemetery Association, 900 Railroad Drive, Somerville, TN 38068.