Dennis M. Wilkinson Sr, of Niceville, FL passed away Thursday March 30, 2023 at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center after a brief illness.

He was born June 10, 1961 Panama City, FL and pre-deceased by his father Noble O’Dell Wilkinson, Jr. ('Foots"), and his mother, Inez McClellan Wilkinson and his sister Barbara Wilkinson Vinson.

Dennis was an amazing guitarist that was surprisingly never discovered. He was in the band Cryptic Kitchen back in the mid 80’s in Tallahassee and they were recorded on the Kudzu Menagerie CD by Bruce Hensel, engineer of “Hotel California” by The Eagles and “Longtime” by Boston.

Dennis was a talented artist, musician, and most of all a bright light to all who knew him.

He was an amateur magician as a child, and a highly-skilled sketch artist and cartoonist, and worked as a caricature artist in his teens at Petticoat Junction Amusement Park in Panama City Beach.

A Commercial Drywall Mechanic by trade, he worked all over Tallahassee: Doak Campbell Stadium, FSU College of Law, FSU Magnetic Lab, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Jefferson County High School, etc. He also restored the plaster mouldings with his father in The Knott House in Tallahassee, a lost art.

He was a loving father and primary caregiver for his oldest son Mike, a special needs adult, and Paw Paw’s Daycare for his two grandsons he worshipped.

He left behind a large and loving family of brothers and sisters and in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

He is survived by his wife Jackie Howard Wilkinson, who he married June 13, 1981 at Cove Baptist Church Panama City, FL,

D. Michael “Mike” Wilkinson Jr-son age 37,

J. Anthony Wilkinson-son age 35,

Adrian Wilkinson-grandson age 13,

Jadan Wilkinson-grandson age 12

Debbie Davis (Ray) sister LaGrange GA,

Karen Vaughn (Mark) sister Panama City FL

A special note from Karen: My brother Dennis was the sweetest and most kind, caring, and compassionate person I have ever known. Although he went through many difficult situations, he always had a smile on his face and something funny to say, Dennis was very artistic in drawing and talented in writing and playing music. He is greatly missed and our hearts are broken but I know he is in heaven and entertaining the angels with his love of laughter.

Janice Mikula (Greg) sister Panama City FL, Greg Whittington stepbrother Tallahassee FL

Del Wilkinson ( Leslie) brother Monticello FL, Kenny Wilkinson brother Monticello FL

Susan Gray sister Tallahassee FL, Scott Klein brother- Columbia SC

Nancy Howard - mother in law Columbia TN , Brian Howard (Debbie) -brother in law VA Beach VA

Betsy Fiorelli (Joe)- sister in law Columbia TN, Bill Howard (Claudia)-brother in law Maitland FL,

Joanna DeNicola (Dan)- sister in law Deland FL

He loved all animals and left behind a 14 year old cat Totkv and a 14 year old Australian Shepard Efv.

His Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 20, 2023 10am CST at Crosspoint Marler Chapel

Niceville FL

His life’s mission was to help others in need. “What would Jesus do in this situation?” was the question for him. In keeping with that spirit, his body was donated to science for medical research to 

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