JERRY WILKINSON

Covering All The Keys From Key Largo To Key West

Upper Keys Weekly 91760 O/S Hwy, Ste 3 Tavernier, FL 33070 305.363.2957

Marathon Weekly 9709 O/S Hwy Marathon, FL 33050 305.743.0844

Key West Weekly 5450 MacDonald Ave, Ste 5 Key West, FL 33040 305.453.6928

Jerry Sparkman Wilkinson, a fourth-generation Floridian who resided in Tavernier, passed away at the age of 94 on Friday, March 17.

Wilkinson was raised on a farm in Winston, located just west of Lakeland. He attended Webster Avenue Grammar School and Lakeland High School. He left high school to attend technical school to become a welder. He found employment as a welder at the St. John’s Shipyard in Jacksonville. He also purchased and operated a mobile roller skating rink, which he moved from town to town throughout the Sunshine State.

Wilkinson moved to Key West after the second hurricane in 1947, but joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, later known as the U.S. Air Force, in 1948. He served as drill instructor, electronics instructor, technical writer and superintendent of ground electronics for 24 years.

Following retirement from Homestead Air Base, he operated automatic, full-service car washes in Miami until the property was taken for construction of the South Miami retro rail station.

During his time in Miami, he met and married Mary Lou Pierce, of Coral Gables. The two traveled together to Key Largo for windsurfing, Colorado for river rafting and California where Wilkinson attended Rancho Santiago College in Santa Ana.

The Wilkinsons purchased a 1958 Oceanside home in Tavernier in 1988. Living on the outskirts of the old Key Largo 1880 community of Planter, Jerry Wilkinson’s enamoration with the Keys’ history led him on a lifelong journey of preservation of records and documents. During his time, he collected and summarized Keys history for various papers and magazines. The history of Indian Key, Key West extension and Overseas Highway were among Wilkinson’s interest points. He also collected many interviews and records from the 1935 Hurricane. Wilkinson would also dress as Henry Flagler at Indian Key celebrations.

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has funding available to governmental entities and non-profit organizations for capital projects.

The project/facility must have the primary purpose of promoting tourism and must fall into one of the following categories:

Convention Center, Sports Stadium, Sports Arena, Coliseum, Auditorium, Aquarium, Museum, Zoological Park, Nature Center, Fishing Pier, Beach or Beach Park Facility, Channel, Estuary, or Lagoon, Public Facilities in Accordance with Conditions set forth in the Florida Statutes.

The deadline for receipt of applications is April 18, 2023 , and applications must be downloaded from Demandstar (www.monroecounty-fl.gov/bids).

For more information, please call the TDC Administrative Office at: 305-296-1552, and ask to speak with Ammie or Maxine.

In 2018, the Keys History & Discovery Center opened the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library, which preserves resources while enriching Florida Keys history for all generations. The library houses a rich selection of donated archival and special collections that Wilkinson secured through the years. Wilkinson was an emeritus member of the Keys History and Discovery Foundation.

Wilkinson served as a board member of the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District. He also served as president of the Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys.

Investing in history, Wilkinson also looked to the future as he donated $100,000 to the College of the Florida Keys Foundation in 2016.

Wilkinson is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; children, Ron, Keith, Mark and Chantal Wilkinson; and three grandchildren.

A celebration of life is set for Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 a.m. at Harry Harris Park’s Wilkinson Point (named after Kay Wilkinson). A family celebration will be held in Live Oak, where he will be laid to rest beside his mother in his Flagler suit.

In lieu of flowers, donate to a charity of your choice in Jerry’s honor.

Higher Ground Music And Video Presents Key Largo Sound Stage

On Friday, March 31, Higher Ground Music and Video will hold its Key Largo Sound Stage — an event where artists can showcase their musical talent. The event goes from 6 to 10 p.m. at MM 100.6, bayside.

Jordan Bobrick, the owner of Higher Ground Music and Video, is offering this free venue to artists and anyone interested in attending. All ages are welcome, and it is family-friendly.

“Key Largo Sound Stage is for up-andcoming headliners who haven’t easily gotten stage time here in the Keys,” Bobick said. “The artists have primarily been rap, folk and grunge but are not limited to those genres.