Obituary

Gregory G Wilkinson of Spokane, Washington, died August 24, 2009 after a long journey with cancer.

Born in Sedro Woolley, Washington on June 3, 1952 to Les and Ruth Wilkinson. Greg was raised in Skagit County and treasured the rich heritage of his childhood there.

Greg was a man of steadfast faith with a calling to proclaim God's love in many settings. He found satisfaction and fulfillment by being compassionately involved in ministries like City Reachers and House of Prayer. His passion for global missions resulted in travel to participate in ministries in the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, India, Mexico, and Mozambique. He shared this ministry work with his beloved wife of thirty years, Vernie.

A life-long thirst for learning was most recently quenched by seminary classes in Hebrew and Greek when Greg was preparing to reenter the classroom as a professor of Biblical studies. He shared his love for words and the Word in many ways and in numerous venues. After twenty-five years as a syndicated quiz creator, with his column VocabPower published in various newspapers, including The Spokesman Review, Greg compiled the columns and self-published the book VocabPower 101 [2008]. This book was preceded by the publication of God, Cancer and Me: A Journey from Final Stage Cancerto Being Cancer-Free! [2007]. After working in a range of settings from the classroom to the cabstand, Greg retired from United Parcel Service in 2008. He was blessed by their generosity and support in his cancer journey.

An avid runner, Greg competed in numerous events including many Bloomsday races, culminating his running career as 'Spidey', the Spiderman running companion of a blind runner. He ended his first book with the statement, 'I want to finish the race of lifewith hands high in praise and eyes fixed upon Jesus."

Greg is survived by his wife Vernie of Spokane, WA, daughter Jenny Schillinger and her husband Dave of Spokane, WA, son John Wilkinson of New York, NY, granddaughters Jordan and Taylor Schillinger of Spokane, WA, his brother Les [Deng] Wilkinson of Fairbanks, AK, sisters Georganne [Harold] Robertson of Seattle, WA, Susan [Dale] Ragan of Mount Vernon, WA and Julie [Terry] Rousseau of Bow, WA. He is also survived by his wife's parents Vernon and Earlene Whitney of Lacey, WA, brothers-in-law Rick [Vicki] Whitney of Kirkland, WA, and Treven [Kim] Whitney of Grants Pass, Oregon, sister-in-law Marci [Paul] Mittelstaedt of Moses Lake, WA and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial Service was held Sunday, August 30th, 2:30 p.m., New Covenant Fellowship at Healing Rooms New Annex Bldg, 112 E First Ave., Spokane.

A Sunday Word

A deep and diverse community has touched and been touched by the life of Greg. When we gather at Sunday's memorial service our time together will be enriched by song, scripture, and story. Several of Greg's friends have been asked to briefly share a story. If a few others also want to speak a word about Greg [maximum 1-2 minutes], you are asked to please contact Greg's daughter Jenny [DaveandJenny14@msn.com or 509-927-1168/509-723-9576] by Friday noon. Written reflections are also most welcome here on the blog. Blessed be the memory of Gregory G Wilkinson.

Grace. Generous. Gospel. Gratitude

Grace. Generous. Gospel. Gratitude.
Capital ‘G’ words as we seek to express our appreciation for the innumerable ways you have each walked with us through these seasons. Vernie is humbled by the outpouring of love and support with cards, prayers, gifts, messages – each and every expression of God’s love and grace.

We will gather for a memorial service this Sunday, August 30th, 2:30 p.m., New Covenant Church at Healing Rooms New Annex Bldg, 112 E First Avenue [off Cowley], Spokane. Your presence is a blessing.

Condolences may be sent to the family home, 8120 E 1st #54, Spokane, WA 99212.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me~ the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. 2 Tim 4:7

Be good to me, God~and now!
I've run to you for dear life.

..I am ready, God, so ready,
ready head to toe,
ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
"Wake up, soul!"

..I'm thanking you, God, out loud in
the streets,..
the deeper your love, the higher it
goes;
every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.

Soar high in the skies, O God.

Psalm 57 [in part] The Message

Time to Fold Your Tent

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

The time to die…Gregory G Wilkinson, child of God, died at 7:30 p.m. last night. Family was gathered with him in prayer, offering comfort and strength as his body slipped away, and he joined the glorious company of the saints, the glory realm. Summer 2006 when Greg shared with family the news of his cancer prognosis, he said ‘‘I ‘m not positive I’m going to make it, but this I know, for me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.’’

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…In our time of mourning and weeping, when one can be at a loss for words, words of scripture and poetry brought comfort to Vernie. She asked that they be shared with all of you.

It is Time to Fold Your Tent
I am sure it is my duty, as long as I am in this tent, to keep stirring you up with reminders since I know the time for me to lay aside this tent is coming soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I shall take great care that after my own departure you will still have a means to recall these things to mind. 2 Peter 1:13-15
All of us earth-people will someday be asked to fold up our tents and come home. Death and life stand near each other. It is difficult at times to see where one begins and the other ends. This poem is dedicated, with love, to all the tent-folders who have ever walked this earth and to the tent-folder who is waiting in you.

Once again death’s mystery
holds us in its arms
and we are memorized
with a thousand things
You were and are, and now
always will be.

We celebrate this journey with a quiet shyness
always a little uncomfortable
with a mystery so deep.
But with hearts full of life
we hold out our hands
to receive the mystery of death
the gift of death
and sometimes we weep.

Eyes that see all the way in now
proclaim to us the new truth,
When you stand close enough to death
it isn’t death anymore.
Its new name is life,
yet those of us with earth-eyes
still call it death.

There is really no death
for those caught up in God,
only a moment of passing over
a moment of folding up your tent
a hard, painful, giving-up moment
It is always painful to let go.

We praise a man
who had the vision to let go.
We praise a God
who had a love to ask him
to let go.

O God of life
it is in our moments
of not letting go
that we truly experience death
and all the while
It is life that you have planned for us!

O God of life
dip us into the mystery of letting go
of folding up our tents
so we, your earthen vessels,
can bear the beauty of the braking
and hold the fullness
of the life.

Do earth-people always call things
by the wrong name?
Is it death we celebrate?
Or is it life?
Or is it letting go?

I warn you
when God gives you the grace to let go
be prepared
for a radical transformation!
Macrina Wiederkehr.

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to almighty God, our dear and beloved Greg.

written by Georganne Wilkinson Robertson

The Servant Song

Will you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
we are trav'lers on a road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the night-time of your fear:
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we've seen this journey through.

Will you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

Richard Gillard.


Greg and Vernie know well the role of servant having served Christ in setting after setting. Now the community of Christ gathers around them, Jenny and John, to be as Christ to them. Recently Vernie has had long nights with little sleep as she attended to Greg's needs. For the last several nights, family has been there to hold the Christ-light in the night-time so all may know rest. Thank you for laughing and weeping with us, sharing the joys and sorrows of this journey. We keep on traveling, walking in the light of Christ, thankful for each companion on the journey.

Written by Georganne Wilkinson Robertson

We love

We love because God first loved us. We love, We love, We love, because God first loved us. My children sang this scripture verse with the enthusiasm unique to young children after learning it one summer in Vacation Bible School. Greg's granddaughters have participated in several Spokane Vacation Bible School sessions this summer as Jenny has balanced work, her young family, her desire to be an extra set of hands for her mom, and her loving desire to be at her dad's side. She graciously set up this website to assist the family in sharing news on Greg. She has shared recent and rather rapid changes in Greg's strength. For the many months of this season Greg has faithfully participated in worship, lying in a back pew, soaking up songs of praise and words of promise. This past Sunday, Greg did not feel strong enough to leave the house. Email messages have often brought both of them just the right word of strength for the day.
These words written by Eugene Peterson have been shared with them twice, a double blessing. Vernie asked that they be shared here also.
"Love. Love is the primary word given to guide us into the best that we can ever hope to receive or give. It is, at the same time, the word most frequently associated with betrayal and disappointment......complicating things even further........vulnerable to cliché.............how do I recover its glory, its splendor, its energy?

Going to the dictionary is a poor way to look up the meaning of a word, any word, but especially a word that comes into our lives in the life and language, death and resurrection of Jesus. So instead of reaching for the dictionary, we look to the Story, the God Story as told in Jesus.......so I will no longer look in the dictionary or my own experience for the meaning but to the Story. As I assimilate the Story, slowly, meditatively, believingly, I begin to get it: every act of love requires personal, sacrificial giving appropriate to the person being loved; the less of me, the more of God~ and God is love."

During a recent conversation with Greg I discovered that as the writer of a vocabulary column, he has often reached for not ‘the dictionary’ but one of a collection of dictionaries as he worked. Many of his days give witness to his assimilation of the Story and his personal sacrificial giving. With all his being he lives to shout God is love and we love because God first loved us.

Posted by Georganne Wilkinson Robertson

Words for the Season

Psalm 103:1-3, 19-22. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits? 3. who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4. who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5. who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
19. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. 21. Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. 22. Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Vernie shares this scripture with each of you, words to accompany the report that Greg has little strength now. He primarily spends his day resting and sleeping, rarely able to strongly and coherently communicate with others.

The second scripture she lifts up for this season is Isaiah 28:21. The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon-- to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task. She adds “God is able to perform … He can do an extraordinary thing in His sovereignty, even suddenly… I want to thank everyone again more than words can say for all the love and support continued to be given to us.’

Posted by Georganne on behalf of Vernie