Fort Hill Wilkerson, Jr.

Fort Hill Wilkerson, Jr. of Willow Street, PA and Nanuet, NY, passed peacefully into the presence of God on February 2, 2023 at the age of 89.  He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Barbara Wilkerson, and by his children Bryan and Karen Wilkerson of Bedford, MA; Keith and Cindy  Wilkerson of North Topsail Beach, NC; and Nanette and Duke Davis of Lynchburg, VA; and by 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Fort was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1934, and spent his growing up years in Nashville and Miami, raised by his father.    As a teenager he committed his life to following Christ and became active in the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.

Fort was a graduate of the Missionary Training Institute of Nyack, NY where he met and married his lifelong sweetheart, Barbara Osmun of Brooklyn, NY.  After a few years of fruitful ministry as pastor of the Kent-Fishkill Baptist Church in Farmers’ Mills, NY, Fort completed his Masters degree in Sociology and Anthropology from New York University.  He dedicated his career in law enforcement and social work to serving at-risk young people and their families.  In addition to his career, Fort faithfully ministered to children and young people in the church, teaching Sunday School and confirmation classes, and vigorously supported Barbara’s career as a Christian educator, professor, and author.  Most importantly, he and Barbara together have blessed their children with a legacy of integrity, service, learning, and Christian faith “to the third and fourth generation.”

When they retired to Willow Valley Communities in 2008, Fort was an active member of the Friends of the West Lampeter Police Department and of Grace Church at Willow Valley.  His final years were devoted to caring for his sweetheart, Barbara, as she struggled with Alzheimer’s.

Fort will always be remembered as a man of deep and abiding faith, whose mission in life was to love and serve his family, the church, and the community.

A memorial service will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church, 455 Old Main St, Asbury, NJ 08802 at 11:00am on Saturday, February 11, 2023, immediately followed by a committal service at Muskonetcong Valley Cemetery in Hampton, NJ.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mission Aviation Fellowship at www.maf.org