After a twenty-two month battle with pancreatic cancer, Willard Mathew Wilkins, Jr., died peacefully in St. Louis on October 31, 2009, with his wife at his side. The son of Willard Mathew Wilkins and Gloria Buford Wilkins, “Mat” was born in Ft. Monmouth, NJ, on July 3, 1946. The family lived on Long Island until moving to Memphis, TN, when Mat was twelve. He graduated from Memphis State (now the University of Memphis) in 1969, and married Barbara Kent Croft in Atlanta. After two years in Nashville, TN, they moved to St. Louis in 1972, where he worked in sales with General Foods, and Keebler and as a manufacturer’s rep for Jostens. In 2001, Mat and his wife purchased The Captain Wohlt Inn in Hermann, MO, and fulfilled his lifetime dream- to run a Bed and Breakfast. He enjoyed this labor of love even after his diagnosis, and ran the Inn with help from family until April of this year, when his brother Dan Wilkins began running it for him. In addition to his wife, Mat is survived by a daughter, Devon Allen (Patrick) and four grandchildren (Owen, Zachary, Lucy and Fiona Allen) of Hinsdale, IL, a son, Brant Mathew, of St. Louis; brother Dan Wilkins (Ann), sister Diane Wilkins Savage (John), sister-in-law Judith Croft Luhmann, brother and sister-in-law James Bradley Croft (Norine), five nieces : Laura Wilkins Gotcher (Mark), Shannon and Caitlin Savage, Keri Croft Edwards (Tad) and Melissa Luhmann (Seth Waite) three nephews: Jeff Wilkins (Cathy), Brandon Savage (Lauren), and Brad Croft (Trina), twelve great nieces and nephews and many friends.

A memorial will be held for Mr. Wilkins at Grace Episcopal Church, Kirkwood, on Dec. 6, at 3 PM. There will also be a celebration of Mat’s life at the Captain Wohlt Inn on Nov. 29, at 3 PM. The family is so grateful to the staffs at Siteman Cancer Center, BJC Hospice and AccuCare for the wonderful care he received throughout his illness.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Siteman Cancer Center or BJC Hospice in St. Louis, or the Hermann Area Crusade Against Cancer.