Ernest Donal Wilkes

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1880, Belcher, Decatur, Georgia, USA
• Residence: 1910, Wiggins, Harrison, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 12 Sep 1918, Star, Rankin, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA

Notes:

Buried:
E. D. Wilkes Dies at Home in Petal

E. D. Wilkes died at his home in Petal Saturday at 8 PM after almost a year's illness. Funeral services were held at the home Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, and interment, conducted by the Hulett Undertaking Company, was made in Roseland Park Cemetery.

Mr. Wilkes was a member of the Presbyterian Church and was well-known throughout South Mississippi. He had served as postmaster at Petal for the past two years.

Survivors include the widow, who prior to her marriage was Miss Bettie Magee of Prentiss; four sons, Ernest D. Jr., Magee, Berney, and Sam T., all of Petal; two daughters, Norfleet of Petal and Frances of Memphis, Tenn.; a sister, mother, and four brothers.

Relatives from Prentiss who attended the funeral were Mrs. R. C. Williams, Roscie, Jr., and Joyce Williams, Misses Agnes and Edna Magee, Jeff Tyrone and Miss Ida Laird of Monticello.

Prentiss Headlight, Nov. 12, 1931

Ernest married Bettie E Magee on 5 Dec 1907 in Prentiss, Mississippi, USA. Bettie was born in 1887 in Mississippi, USA; died on 24 Mar 1957 in Petal, Forrest, Mississippi, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• SSN issued: California, USA
• Name: Aida N. Knutson
• Social Security Number: 551-30-9935
• Residence: 1910, Wiggins, Harrison, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Death: 20 Oct 2004, Castro Valley, Alameda, California, USA

Notes:

Died:
Fleete was a graduate of Richton High School (MS). She attended nursing school in Houston, TX, for a period of time prior to the death of her father, Ernest D. Wilkes, Sr., in 1931. At that time she returned to her home in Petal (MS). In the early 1930s she was employed at Reliance Manufacturing Company in Hattiesburg. It was during this time that she met Howard Knutson, a salesman for the Simonize Company. They were married in Florida. Until the late thirties and the World War II era, they traveled to many sections of the country, with Howard working as a Simonize representative and salesman. With the advent of World War II, Howard joined the US Navy. Norfleete went to work in a defense factory in California, as did many wives during the war.

With the war over, Howard and Norfleete returned to his home in Wisconsin where their only child, a son, was born. Shortly afterward, they moved to Petal, where they lived while Howard was enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi studying for a degree in Geology and Geography. Upon graduation, they moved to Houston, TX, where he was employed by the Texas Highway Department until his early death from a stroke.

While in Houston, Norfleete was active with her church and the Cub Scout movement.

Later she moved to California to be near her adult son. She lived with her sister there.

Ada married Howard Norvin Knutson in 1937 in Alachua, Florida, USA. Howard was born on 17 Feb 1909 in Spring Valley, Pierce, Wisconsin, USA; died on 10 Nov 1962 in Houston, Harris, Texas, USA; was buried in Forest Park Cemetery, Houston, Harris, Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Dooley
• SSN issued: California, USA
• Social Security Number: 555-20-0302
• Residence: 1910, Wiggins, Harrison, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA

Notes:

Died:
Ernie graduated from Petal (Mississippi) High School in 1929 and attended State Teachers College (now the University of Southern Mississippi). He lettered in basketball while there.

In May 1931 he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. He was assigned to Fleet Marine Detachments. During his two enlistments, he served aboard the USS Arizona, the USS Arkansas, the USS Asheville, the USS Astoria, the USS Henderson, and the USS Argonne.

He was discharged in California and was employed with the Bank of America in Los Angeles. He married Kathleen Shaw, a Canadian, and they had two children.

During the second World War, Ernie was employed in the defense industry. After the war he was employed until retirement with a company that manufactured equipment for the orange juice processing companies.

He enjoyed camping and traveling. He was creative with tools and loved his family.

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA

Other Events and Attributes:

• Social Security Number: 426-05-2929
• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Military: 15 Oct 1940, Jackson, Hinds, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 15 Oct 1940, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• SSN issued: Bef 1951, Mississippi, USA

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: Petal, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Military: 25 Nov 1940, Camp Shelby, Mississippi

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1930, Beat 2, Forrest, Mississippi, USA
• Residence: 1979, Starkville, Oktibbeha, Mississippi, USA; Age: 53

Notes:

Died:
Sam T. Wilkes passed away peacefully on July 18, 2022, at the Veterans' Home in Kosciusko, Mississippi. He was 96.

Sam was born in Piave, Mississippi, and grew up in Petal. He joined the Navy during World War II and served aboard the U.S.S. New York, seeing action at the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He ended his minority cruise as a SeaBee on Guam. He returned to Petal and finished high school, then attended Southern Mississippi for his B.S. and M.Ed. degrees. He taught and worked in educational administration in Moss Point. He was an Eagle Scout and served as scoutmaster for many years there, inspiring many scouts. After Moss Point, he went to Auburn University to complete his doctoral studies, then to Mississippi State University to research and teach. He was a Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership at Mississippi State University. An avid baseball fan, Sam made friends easily and treasured each one. His friends will remember him as a gentleman and a scholar, though some thought him a rogue. Sam attended the College World Series since the 1980s, and his Omaha friends were family. He treasured his relationships with former students and colleagues, too. He was a charter member of MSU's Left Field Lounge, spending many an afternoon and evening watching his beloved Diamond Dawgs play through victory and defeat.

Survivors include his wife, Rebecca Love Wilkes, his children, Byron Wilkes and Maloy Wilkes of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, Stanley Wilkes of Artesia, and grandsons Sam T. Wilkes II and Scott Wilkes, both of Starkville.

Being very quotable, among Sam's most beloved quotes is, "Somewhere between the city and the countryside, we find ourselves."

Services will be held at the Veterans Cemetery in Kilmichael on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 11 a.m.

Visitation is Friday, July 22, 2022, from 4-6 p.m. at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville.

Pallbearers are Dan Moreland, Kenny Malone, Sam T. Wilkes II, Scott Wilkes, Rodney Faver, and Cliff Davis.

Memorials may be made to BS Troop 14; c/o Toby Steeds, P.O. Box 99, Starkville, MS. 39759.

Posted online on July 21, 2022
Published in Clarion-Ledger

https://www.clarionledger.com/obituaries/jcl140099

https://www.welchfuneralhomes.com/memorials/sam-t-wilkes/4981107/obituary.php

Veterans' Home

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1993, San Jose, Los Angeles, California, USA

Notes:

Died:
Norvin Knutson was born in his dad Howard's hometown of Spring Valley, Wisconsin on April 16, 1947...his parents, Howard (1909-1962) and Ada Norfleete 'Fleete' (1908-2004) moved to Houston and 613 Twin Oaks Street near McGallion for his dad's new job as a Soil Analyst with the Texas Highway Department after completing his Geology degree at the University of Southern Mississippi around 1952. Norvin attended both Burbank Elementary and the newly opened DeChaumes Elementary and was in both Joan Rubendall and Nell J Spiller's classes, the newly-opened Fonville Jr High and graduated with the 1966 June Class of Sam Houston High School.....many of us were in school at Fonville the morning of November 10, 1962 when we learned the horrible news of the death of Norvin's dad Howard......Norvin dearly loved his 1955 burgundy Chevrolet and Surfing and around late 1964 he along with 14 other Sam Houston classmates formed the Brand X Surf Club that always met at Brownie Nevels' house on Sunnyside......at the time the Brand X group was innovative and new, even sporting custom made printed t-shirts and it is thought there was only 1 other surf club in Houston~a group at Bellaire High School.... the guys spent their time surfing the Texas Gulf Coast around Galveston's 61st Street across from The Hill and the old WW2 military bunkers, near the nite lites of the newly-opened Flagship Hotel, Sargent, Surfside and Quintana Beaches and further down the Coast around Port Aransas and Port Isabel. They staged benefit dances with live music to raise money for their ultimate dream trip to the California beaches in early 1966.........

..summers Norvin worked for the Texas Highway Department , then Federal Express as a Station Manager in the Houston Area. Norvin went on to graduate from the University of Houston around 1975. In the late 1970s he moved to California near Oakland and ultimately owned his own transportation company, Electronic Van, Inc. which specialized in transporting and management of high-tech products including trade shows, exhibits and communication equipment. He sold that company in 2003 and had recently been in sales and management with Chipman Relocations/United Van Lines. Along the way in California he renamed himself 'Norm'...'easier to remember & pronounce'.... he would later tell me .......'Norvin to Many.....Norm to Some......' I would laugh and respond back to him......

...many of us last saw Norvin when he came to our October 2006 40th High School Reunion....he seemed to be having a great time that night as many of you no doubt got to visit with him.....he was laughing and joking and genuinely seemed to be enjoying being with so many of us that had known him and gone to school with him from elementary thru high school.....he emailed back telling me what a great time he had and how marvelous it was for him 'to get to see everyone.....'

....on Monday, May 23rd Norvin passed away in a hospital near his home in San Jose, California from complications of heart disease.....

..Norvin is survived by his son, Matt and Matt's Mother, Kathy of California.....

.....at 9:30 AM on Saturday, July 16, 2011 in a joint graveside service, both Norvin's & his Mother's cremains were laid to rest beside his dad Howard who predeceased them both in November, 1962, at Forest Park/Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale near South Wayside Drive, Houston TX 77023
...for the Family of Norvin Knutson, the January 1963 Class of Fonville JHS and the
1966 June Class of Sam Houston High School,
Houston, Texas Paula Norris Pierce


Age at Death: 64

Norvin married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Norvin married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]