Ray Wilkerson

Ray Hankins Wilkerson finished a courageous fight with brain cancer in the early morning hours of Thursday, October 28, 2010. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 30 at First Baptist Church.

Ray was born in Lubbock on August 8, 1964. He graduated from Coronado High School in 1982. He graduated from Baylor University in 1986 and was named the Outstanding Student in Real Estate in the Hankamer School of Business.

Ray married Tina Nichole Mann on November 14, 2009.

Ray was a life long member of First Baptist Church, where he enjoyed singing as a member of the choir. He was a board member for CASA of the South Plains where he served as President in 2005. He also served as a board member for Paisano Baptist Encampment.

Ray is survived by his wife, Tina; his parents John and Ruth Wilkerson, his brother Gordon, wife Lori and nieces Rachel, Ellen and Caroline, his brother David, wife Kim and nephew Will; his sister Sarah Scott, husband Richard and nephews Warner and Ethan and niece Julia; his Father-in-Law and Mother-in-Law J. B. and Pauline Mann, Brother-in-Law, Kirk Mann, wife Gena and nephews Ryan and Kyle and niece Rachel; and Brother-in-Law Keith Mann, wife Lori and nephews Austin and Parker. Ray was predeceased by his paternal grandparents Gordon and Cleo Wilkerson and maternal grandparents Ray and Ruth Collins.

Honorary pallbearers will be Austin Mann, Parker Mann, Ryan Mann, Kyle Mann, Warner Scott, Ethan Scott and Will Wilkerson.

Pallbearers will be Dennis Dillon, Greg Gilmore, Charles North, Jerry Schulz, Jeff Smith and Tim Stainback.

To those of us who walked this road with him, Ray became a living illustration of scriptural peace that passes understanding. He understood the ferocity of his opponent and the unfairness of its attack on him, yet not once did he complain or allow the slightest hint of bitterness. Rather, he chose to find joy each day, even in the midst of these most difficult circumstances. Our efforts to help and encourage Ray were significant, but they paled in comparison to the inspiration he provided us.

Ray’s family is especially grateful for the exceptional medical care Ray received from Dr. Harold Smith and his team at Neurosurgical Associates in Lubbock, Dr. Everardo Cobos and his associates at the Southwest Cancer Center at University Medical Center, and Dr. Henry Friedman and his colleagues at Duke University Medical Center.

The family will receive visitors Friday evening October 29, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sanders Funeral Home. Memorials may be sent to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC Box 3624, Durham, NC 27710 or to Paisano Baptist Encampment, 6725 Hwy. 380, Snyder, TX 79549.