Barbara Elaine Wilkins

Barbara E. Wilkins died of congestive heart failure October 5, 2016 in Portland, Oregon aged 86, surrounded by her family. An artist by calling, she worked in the power transmission industry for 45 years and was a founder of the Alaska Bearing Corporation. She will be remembered for her generosity, sense of humor, and life-long commitment to community service. The youngest daughter of Jesse R. and Margie Broom, she was born in 1930 in Seattle, Washington. She was the last of her generation, her brother and two sisters all predeceased her. A graduate of Grover Cleveland High School, her first job was as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone Company. She married George Morris (Morrie) Wilkins of North Bend, Washington in 1949. They had met at a Seattle Rainiers baseball game when she was 12 and he 13 years old. In 1953 Morrie was hired by Bearing Engineering & Supply Co. of Seattle. Soon Morrie was given the opportunity to move to Anchorage, Alaska and manage the BESCO store there, with Barbara as general assistant. With son George Bruce Wilkins (born in 1953,) they relocated to the Alaska Territory in 1955. By 1964 the Wilkins family was living in West Turnagain; Barbara and Bruce were at home during the Good Friday earthquake. As she told it “Our house rocked and rolled for what seemed an eternity. We finally sat down in the dining room to assess the mess. When we went outdoors, we watched three houses on the west end of Westwood slide back into the bogs.” After daughter Luann was born in 1965, Barbara retired from BESCO. She began to concentrate on her art, studying oil painting with Bill Kimura and Fred Machetanz among others. In 1966 Barbara joined the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs) Anchorage Woman’s Club. She served many roles with the Anchorage Woman’s Club, and worked on many projects including the restoration of the Pioneer Schoolhouse. In 1989 she represented Alaska as State President. Barb loved to paint with her friends in the “Paint Pushers” artists’ group for 40 years. She also served as President of the Nome Women’s Club. During the 1970s and 80s Barbara was a frequent guest on local television to promote GFWC Anchorage events, cooking her favorite recipes on the morning shows hosted by Theda Comstock and Norma Goodman. During this time she was the editor and art designer for several cookbooks produced by the GFWC Anchorage including Alaska’s Cooking Vols. I and II and Potlatch. Son Matthew was born in 1971, and Barbara began volunteering at Turnagain Elementary in a variety of roles. In addition to her volunteer work as a Cub Scout den mother and noon-duty “ogre,” she was active in the family activities of the Anchorage Kiwanis Club, including the annual television auction and the Easter egg hunt. Morrie’s Kiwanis service led to opportunities for international travel for both of them. Eventually, Barbara visited 49 states and 15 countries. She recorded her many adventures in her travel sketchbooks. In the 1980s her art interest shifted to watercolors, and she became a Signature Member of the Alaska Watercolor Society in 1985. Her artwork has been shown frequently around Alaska, and she especially enjoyed serving as a juror and mentor to young artists. Barbara joined the Pioneers of Alaska in 1985. She also became an active member of the Alaska Yukon Pioneers and the Real Alaskans. She was a life-long member of the Eastern Star. In 1996 she became involved with the local chapter of the AARP’s Grief & Loss program. After being trained as a grief counselor, she served as chair of that program for the next ten years. In 1979, Morrie left BESCO and with Barbara and Bruce founded the Alaska Bearing Corporation to supply power transmission products to Alaska. Barbara served as accounting manager until retiring in 1994. When Morrie died in 1995 Bruce became president and general manager. In 2004 Bruce died, and Luann took over as president of ABCO, with Barbara coming out of retirement to supervise day-to-day operations. In 2011 ABCO was sold to long-time employees Brian Leach and Larry Larson, and Barbara relocated to Portland, Oregon. She and Matthew settled in Westmoreland. Despite health challenges, she soon became active in the local GFWC Portland Woman’s Club, serving as Parliamentarian, and also joined the Oregon Family and Community Extension service through Oregon State University, continuing her life-long devotion to community service. Finally truly retired, she enjoyed painting, gardening, reading, and watching her beloved Seattle Mariners right up until the end. She is survived by her son Matthew Wilkins, daughter Luann Wilkins Abrahams, son-in-law David Abrahams, her grandsons George Swen Wilkins and Moses Wilkins Abrahams, and her great-grandson George Owen Wilkins. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the GFWC Oregon Fine Arts scholarship fund. Checks payable to “OFWC, Fine Art” in her memory can be sent to PO Box 1344, Fairview, OR 97024. Service Information