Wilkens 65th

WILKENS 65th

John and Edith Wilkens, together with family and friends, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on April 27, 2017, at their home in Spokane, Wash.

John and Edith met while at Washington Missionary College (now Washington Adventist University) in Takoma Park, Md. After getting married, they lived at John's family's dairy farm in Dover, Del. The young family then moved back to Takoma Park, where John finished a degree in business and where their family would grow, adding three boys to the mix.

Their 40 years of work with the Seventh-day Adventist Church took them across the country and around the world serving in treasury positions in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Upper Columbia Conference and even to the Trans-African Division.

Edith, on top of managing a rambunctious household of boys, worked as an administrative secretary in those locations. Upon their return to the United States, John oversaw the treasury for General Conference and served as president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association. This was a sort of "coming full circle," as he had worked in the Review and Herald's boiler room back in college.

In 1991, they formally retired and moved to Spokane, Wash., to be close to family but continued to be active in volunteer activities such as international aid and church roofing projects, which again took them to far-flung corners of the globe.

John and Edith now enjoy time with their large extended family, which includes Barry and Terry Wilkens of Phoenix, Ariz.; Keith and Joyce Wilkens of Spokane; and Carl and Teresa Wilkens of Spokane. They keep up with 9 grandchildren as well as 6 great-grandchildren.

John and Edith are active in their local church. Their children honor them for their years of teamwork together, as well as their commitment and service to their family and church.