In Memory of Jim Wilkerson

Jim was born March 10, 1953 in Marietta, GA to Jim & Ruth Wilkerson. His family moved to San Francisco in 1955, which is where Jim grew up with his brothers, Fred and Ralph. Jim was athletic at an early age and loved playing sports, including baseball and football in high school and college. He was greatly influenced by a junior high math teacher and decided he wanted to be a high school math teacher and coach. Jim attended the University of California at Davis where he received a BA degree and his teaching credential.

Jim met the love of his life, Chris, in the 7th grade. Jim & Chris went through junior and senior high together, and they started dating their junior year of high school. Although Chris attended the University of San Francisco, where she received a BS in Nursing, Jim & Chris continued to date all through college. They were married June 21, 1975.

Jim began teaching math and coaching baseball and football at Vacaville High School in CA. After a few years, Jim had achieved all of his life goals - to be a teacher and coach and to be a husband and father. Jim thought, “There has to be more to life than living another 50 years.” Unbeknownst to Jim, his cousins Mary Leigh, Dixie, and Loy had been praying for him for years, and in 1978, Jim accepted Christ as his Lord & Savior and found new purpose for his life.

Believing Oregon would be a good place to raise a family, Jim & Chris moved to Eugene, OR with their 6-month old daughter Tracy in the spring of 1979. The family got involved in a church where they grew in their faith and developed lifelong friendships. Their daughter Amy was born a few years later and completed the family. It was in Eugene that Jim began his career in the steel service center business, which eventually led to the family’s move to Colorado in 1993.

After his retirement in 2011, Jim frequently traveled with Chris to visit family and friends. Getting that time together brought him great joy. Jim was an avid golfer and had the opportunity to play many beautiful golf courses around the world. He enjoyed following sports and was a devoted Oregon Ducks and LCU Lady Chaps fan.

Jim was a strong man of God who leaves a legacy of faith. He lived generously, being a faithful steward of everything the Lord provided. Jim was an integral part of the church body, using his gifting to serve in a variety of ways. He loved being in community with other believers, gathering regularly to study God’s Word and encourage one another. Jim’s life reflected Christ in the way he loved others. He had the gift of being genuinely interested in people. Jim would often strike up a conversation with someone he’d never met (often at a Starbucks). It was not uncommon for those interactions to result in a meal at Jim & Chris’s house and for those new people to become dear friends.

Jim was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He was married to Chris for over 51 years and did an incredible job modeling love and commitment that lasts a lifetime. While Tracy and Amy were growing up, Jim made a point of being home for family dinners each night and showing up for their many activities (even the ones that made him nervous, like Amy’s horseback riding). He did an incredible job transitioning to parenting adult children, loving James and Matt as sons, always being willing to roll up his sleeves on a home project, and sharing his wisdom whenever asked. As his family grew, Jim celebrated the births and adoptions of each of his grandkids. He continued to be very intentional about spending time together - initiating family vacations, helping with homework, making regular trips to Texas to be with Tracy’s family, and being at the grandkids’ athletic events, birthday parties, graduations, etc. His family knows how deeply he loved each of them.

Jim is survived by his wife, Chris, his daughters Tracy (James) Foster and Amy (Matthew) Mayberry, and his 10 grandchildren - Grace, Faith, Devon, Christian, Hassaanah, and Isaiah Foster and Johnathan, Madison, Makayla, and Ian Mayberry. Jim is also survived by his brother, Ralph (Diane), and his nephews, Tyler, Brian, and Kane.

He will be greatly missed for his sense of humor and quick wit, for his servant’s heart and willingness to help others, and for his ability to make people feel valued and loved.