Delores Joan Wilkinson

Joan Wilkinson (Delores Joan Hepler) ‘shuffled off this mortal coil’ rather unexpectedly last Sunday night, February 7th, 2021.  It was all too sudden and we are still trying to measure the space that now sits empty as a result of her departure.

Her life began on Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia.  Joan was a tomboy who enjoyed fishing, participating in Girls Friendly and spending her summers in Ocean City, New Jersey.  At nine, she met her lifelong best friend Barbara Mellinger on a raft in the waves.  The two of them were inseparable as they spent time working at Johnson’s Salt Water Taffy and attracting attention from the boys on the boardwalk.  As she grew into a young woman, she took etiquette courses that would forever set the standard for her graceful demeanor and engaging personality.  Along the way, she had the privilege of the friendships of Grace Kelly at the shore, Rosie Greer at Penn State University and even dated Joe Paterno for a short time.

Leaving her mark on her Alpha Omicron Pi sisters and graduating with a bachelors of science in Physical Education, she blazed a new trail by flying out to Kauai.  In the islands she taught and coached swimming.  Returning to the States years later, she taught at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School where she met the love of her life, Charles Wilkinson.  In 1964 they married and together raised four children (Susan, Charles, James and John).

Joan took seriously the twin responsibility of managing a home and raising four children.  Her extensive knowledge of just about everything and her gift of gab was an education in itself for the children.  Joan returned to teaching later and spent years as a beloved teacher at the Green Tree School and twelve years at The Phelps School.  At Phelps she taught Science and resurrected the Greenhouse to teach Botany to the students.  Always a mother, Joan worked into her syllabus a requirement that every student come for a homemade lasagna dinner at the house.  She loved caring for those students.

As a family, Ocean City was still of great importance and Joan would enjoy summers with the family at the shore as a second life.  Ocean City was her happy place, she loved spending time on the beach giving out “B.B. Bats” and “Dum-Dums” to children and nonplussed beach-tag inspectors.  Her favorite places were The Crab Trap, The Tuckahoe Inn and Gregorys in Somer’s Point.  Near the end of her life, she became known as the rather talkative woman on the porch of 2nd street.  Everyone passing by got a conversation, and if you had a dog she would go inside the house and get a dog treat.  People adored her, she had the gift of talking with anyone about anything.

As she retired, Joan had many activities to keep her busy.  knitting, arts and crafts, cooking, baking, landscaping, the Westminster Dog Show, swimming, hosting dinner parties and special celebrations, crossword puzzles, reading, keeping up on the latest “In Touch” gossip, telling stories, knitting scarves, sharing Altoids, eating Whitman chocolates and giving dollar store presents to everyone she came to know.  If you knew her for more than a handful of conversations, you have tasted her brownies.

We are so sad to see her go, but excited that she gets to see the grace and truth of God face to face.  She is also able to see her husband, Charlie, again and begin the life for which she was was created.  Joan was preceded in death by Charles in 2017.  Joan had nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.  We wanted more time.  She will be missed.

Relatives and friends are invited to her Memorial Service 1:00 PM Saturday, February 13, 2021 at The Donohue Funeral Home, 1627 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA, 19382. The services will be livestreamed at 1:00 PM at https://www.facebook.com/thedonohuefuneralhome/

If you care to interact via Zoom, join the Zoom Meeting at 1:00 pm EST (11:00 am MST), using the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5198827770

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sierra Club www.sierraclub.org