Joe Randal Wilkins

Joe Randal Wilkins, of Mexia (and formerly Groesbeck), passed away Wednesday, December 25,2013, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 60. Visitation will be Saturday, December 28, 2013 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 29, 2013, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Mount Calm Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Scooter Wilkins, Casey Fieseler, Andrew Pruett, Jason Pruett, Jimmy Wilkins, and Brent Schrader. Honorary pallbearers will be Curtis Ellison, Gordon Hill, Cade Hardin, Kellen Hill, Frank Wilkins, and Steve Riley. Joe was born February 13, 1953 to Lewis Alexander Wilkins and Nelda Gerene (Proffitt) Wilkins in Waco. He grew up in Hubbard where he was a well- recognized football player for the Hubbard Jaguars and graduate of the Class of 1972. After graduation, he attended TSTI and received his welding certification. Joe enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1973, and after his honorable discharge he began his career as a pipefitter and boilermaker in the construction of power generation plants. In 1974, Joe met Martha Ann Schrader of Axtell, and they were united in marriage on December 21, 1974 at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Calm. Their first home was in Beckville, Texas, and from there they followed his construction jobs moving every few years all over Texas and Mississippi. They lived the longest period in Rosebud for eight years, before moving to Groesbeck with him working at HL&P. In the early nineties he was licensed as a welding inspector and travelled extensively in that work, even out of the country, for seventeen years until retiring due to health problems in 2009. Joe was a member of First United Methodist Church of Mt. Calm. Joe was a big Aggie fan; also a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and Alabama Crimson Tide. He was an especially big fan of his grandchildren, watching his grandson Cade play baseball, and his granddaughter Tatym cheerleading at football games, traveling to Longview and even Memphis, Tennessee to see them. The newest light of his life for the last four years has been his grandson, Kellen Hill. He was preceded in death by his parents; his maternal grandparents, Mary and John Eule Proffitt of Hill County; his paternal grandparents, Lennie and Alexander Frank Wilkins of Hill County; and a brother, Lewis Wilkins, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Martha Ann Wilkins of Mexia; daughter and son-in-law, Stephanie and Gordon Hill of Longview; son, Joe Wilkins, Jr. of Fort Worth; granddaughter, Tatym Hardin, grandson, Cade Hardin, and grandson Kellen Hill all of Longview; brothers, Frank Wilkins and wife Paulette of Hubbard, Jim Wilkins of West, Dale Wilkins of Midlothian, and David Wilkins of Huntsville. He is also survived by Martha’s brothers and sisters, Harry and Delores Schrader of China Spring, Joanie and Walt Geis of Shoshoni, Wyoming, Judy and Robert Pruett of Rosebud, Rita and Tom Jones of Belton, and Richard Schrader of Belton; and lots of nieces, nephews, and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Providence Hospice in Mexia.