William Jenkins
September 8, 1927 ~ February 23, 2020
Born in:
Sylvester, Georgia
Resided in:
Lawrenceville, Georgia
William “Bill” Jenkins
Sept 08, 1927 – February 23, 2020
Mr. William “Bill” Jenkins, age 92 of Lawrenceville, Georgia passed away February 23, 2020. He passed peacefully surrounded by family at the Pruitt Health Care facility in Lilburn, GA.
Friends and family are invited to celebrate Bill’s life on Saturday February 29th at 11:00 am at the First Baptist Church at 165 South Clayton Street in Lawrenceville, Georgia with the Rev. Inman Houston officiating the service. Interment will be in Gwinnett Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm Friday February 28 at Wages and Sons Funeral Home in Lawrenceville.
Mr. Jenkins was born September 8, 1927 in Sylvester, Georgia to John William Jenkins and Lillian Ingram Jenkins. He is preceded in death by his younger brother, James Robert Jenkins and his older sister, Marjorie Jenkins Tanner. After 31 years, he retired from the State of Georgia where he served as the Director of the Social Security Disability Program. Mr. Jenkins led a full, rich, adventurous life. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean Conflict in a Tactical Wing performing Aerial Photo reconnaissance in northern Europe. He was an active member, past deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church. He enjoyed singing in church choirs his whole adult life. He was physically active his entire life. He was a collegiate boxer and ran cross country. As a senior citizen he remained active, playing racquetball, and working on his farm growing numerous varieties of fruit. He enjoyed fishing and spending time with his family and friends. Mr. Jenkins loved his family, people, and loved being outdoors helping friends start their own fruit orchards and vineyards. Most of all, he loved spending time with his beloved wife Melba. He and Melba, enjoyed getting away to their country house in South Georgia and going on beach trips together. He is survived by his wife, Melba Warnock Jenkins, his sweetheart and bride of 63 years, his daughter Melanie Jenkins Reese and husband, Julian M. Reese, of Knoxville, TN and his son, John William Jenkins, II and wife, Sandi Obermire Jenkins of Norcross, GA, Five grandchildren; Lydia Reese Holden and her husband James Holden, Matthew Julian Reese, James William Reese, Peyton William Jenkins and Hayden Thomas Jenkins.
Online condolences may be made at https://www.wagesandsons.com/obits/william-jenkins/
Any memorial gifts for the First Baptist Church, please send directly to the church in memory of William Jenkins at 165 South Clayton Street, Lawrenceville GA 30046. For flowers please visit the Wages and Sons Funeral home at: https://www.wagesandsons.com/obits/william-jenkins/
Services
Visitation: February 28, 2020 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Wages & Sons Gwinnett Chapel
1031 Lawrenceville Hwy.
Lawrenceville, 30046
770-277-4550
Visitation: February 28, 2020 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Lawrenceville First Baptist Church
165 S Clayton Street
Lawrenceville, Ga 30046
Funeral Service: February 29, 2020 11:00 am
Lawrenceville First Baptist Church
165 S Clayton Street
Lawrenceville, Ga 30046
Interment: February 29, 2020 12:00 pm
Gwinnett Memorial Park
925 US Highway 29 S
Lawrenceville, AG 30046
770-962-7630
www.gwinnettcemetery.com/
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Ginn Alford Smith
A wonderful person!
Sending Love and Prayers during this difficult time.
With Heartfelt Sympathy.
Love and Prayers during this difficult time.
With Love and Heartfelt Sympathy!
We are so sorry for your tremendous loss! Mr Jenkins was such a wonderful friend and neighbor. I’ll never forget the memories of 55 years + as neighbors. I know mom & dad could always count on y’all to be there for them.
I know he is rejoicing in heaven and singing with the angels. He will be missed! Love you all
Lou, Terry and Danielle
I knew Bill Jenkins to be a very fine man. I worked for the Division of Rehabilitation services & retired with 34 years’ service. The first years of my employment was with the Trust Fund unit of DRS, working with people that had been deemed to be eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits. I worked very closely with Mr. Jenkins and his staff for 10+ years. They were the ones who made the determinations about disability benefits. He was very helpful to me in the work that I did & I always respected him.
I am sure that Mr. Jenkins will be remembered & missed by many.
We share your grief and hope the memories of a long and joyful life comfort you, Bill’s rehabilitation family will miss him too. He was a fine storyteller and a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities. May he rest in peace.
So sorry for your loss sister Melanie… hoping you are feeling surrounded with love. Meg and I send warmest hugs and prayers during this time of sadness. Bless you.
Melba and Family, We were so blessed to know Bill. His smile and greetings at church were always appreciated and blessed our day. You will miss him, but we know he is with our Lord and Savior. Barry and Marie Brown
May God bless and comfort all your family and friends. I know you rest in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Love, peace and prayers,
Tom and Tericia Rasmussen and family
Mr. Jenkins
How does one
Celebrate a man
Who’s used his height
And his hands
To make things grow?
Blue berry bushes and
Muscadines.
Fruited trees and
Arbors of grapes.
Who’s used his mind
And labored in time
To bring flourishing
To his gardens?
Who has shared
Buckets upon buckets
Of blue berries
And pails upon pails
Of grapes.
Buckets into bushels
Over the years.
Pails into bushels
All in great cheer.
Sharing cuttings and
Volunteers:
“Did I not tell you
That you’d reap
Ten, fifty, a hundred-fold?”
How do I celebrate
Your kindness toward me
Mr. Jenkins?
As always, by following:
I’m going to plant
another berry bush
In husbandry and care.
But also,
I’m going to follow you
In sharing.
For these God-given gifts,
Our desires and strengths,
Are best tasted and known
In their growing
And being given away.
Thinking of all of you Mrs. Jenkins, Melanie and John in prayer and love,
The Meidls
So sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. Yet, I have no doubt that he is in a better place. I worked with him for several years in Rehab and he was always a gentleman, treating others as he would like to be treated. I respected him as a leader and cherished him as a friend.
Bill has the ability to brighten the day of every one he sees????. Memories of him still brighten my day.
May God give you many dreams of comfort in the the coming days & years????
May God give you sweet dreams of comfort in the coming days & years????