Bill Virden Wilkinson was born in Comanche, Oklahoma on March 28, 1944 to Virden Adus and Willie Bishop Wilkinson. His early years were spent in Comanche learning from his parents the art of running the movie theater.

He moved to Bristow, Oklahoma as a teenager and graduated as a Purple Pirate in 1962. He married his high school sweetheart, Aneta Sumner, in 1964. Bill was admitted to the University of Oklahoma as a member of the President's Leadership Class and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1966. He then received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1968. While at the University of Tulsa, Bill was a Member of the Tulsa Law Journal and the Moot Court Board. To fund his higher education, Bill also owned and operated two successful movie theaters in Bristow. Bill and Aneta raised their three daughters; Amy, Sarah and Betsy, and have lived in Tulsa for the past 55 years. He practiced law in Tulsa for over 50 years.

Bill worked hard to establish and maintain a law practice with the highest competence, experience, and standards. He practiced in the areas of employment law, education law, business and banking law, commercial law, appellate law, and trial practice. Bill tried countless jury trials and had a stellar reputation as a highly effective litigator. He had the honor of being admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court.

Bill was also very active in his community and State. He served as an Adjunct Professor in Trial Practice at the University of Tulsa College of Law, was a member of the Tulsa County Bar Association, served on the Judicial Appointments Committee, the Public Schools Committee, was a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association, served on the Committee on Law and Citizenship Education, was a member of the American Bar Association where he served on the Section on Litigation, and was a member of the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys.

In 1992, Bill was selected by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma and appointed to a five year term as a Commissioner for the Department of Human Services (DHS). In that role, he served as a member of the governing board for all departments of DHS. He was instrumental in establishing a new program in Oklahoma called the Advantage Waiver Program. The Program allows elderly individuals to receive care and assistance in their own homes instead of being forced to move to a nursing home. For his work, he received the prestigious Agent of Change award from the Oklahoma Long Term Care Authority in 2007.

Bill was active in All Souls Unitarian Church and served on many committees and boards, including the Board of Trustees and the Newcomers Board which welcomes new members into the church. He was very active in Oklahoma politics and enjoyed participating in local, statewide, and national elections where he served as a Tulsa County Chairman, a state delegate, and attended the inaugural celebrations for two different presidents.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife Aneta, daughters Amy Hall and her husband Chuck, Sarah McAmis and her husband Rick, Betsy Baker and her husband Tye. Grandchildren, Ashley Johns, Sydney Grant, Riley Hall, Carter McAmis, Molly McAmis, Tony McAmis and Luke Baker and eight great grandchildren.

Celebration of Life will be held at 1pm Friday, September 27, 2024 All Souls Unitarian Church
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Oklahoma Parkinson's Alliance .