Hugh E. Wilkinson Jr. died Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, at Shady Lawn Nursing Home. He was 75 years old.

Mr. Wilkinson had been a lifelong resident of Vicksburg. He retired from the Vicksburg Police Department as a lieutenant in August of 1997. During his time with the police department, he also worked the Miss Mississippi Pageant for 23 years. Prior to his 36 1/2 years of service with the police department, he had served as a Signal Corps operator from 1954 to 1961 on a destroyer boat named the USS Vogelgesang with the U.S. Navy, receiving an honorable discharge. He was also a member of Crawford Street Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years of marriage, Frankie N. Wilkinson; and two daughters, Angie Wilkinson and Christy W. Pecanty and her husband, Ken, all of Vicksburg. Mr. Wilkinson had four grandchildren, Ashley Tankesly (Chris), Mandi Driver (Adam), Kristopher Pecanty (Ashley) and Danielle Pecanty; and one great-grandchild, Baylyn Pecanty.

Mr. Wilkinson also had one stepbrother, Darrell Yeager and his wife, Betty Sue, and their three children, Holly, Selena and Darrell Jr. of Jackson.

He was preceded in death by his son, Larry W. Wilkinson; his parents, R.J. and Mary Louise Thomas Yeager; and his father, Hugh E. Wilkinson Sr.

Visitation will be tonight, Aug. 4, at Riles Funeral Home from 5 to 7. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in the chapel at Riles with graveside services to follow at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery. Dr. Matt Buckles, pastor of First Baptist Church, and the Rev. Robert Andrews, pastor of Cross Point Church, will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Billy Brown, Buddy Holliday, Larry Holloway, Clay Griffin, Walter Beamon and Sam Brocato.

Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Thomas Sligh, Dr. Paul Pierce IV, Phil Tremaine, Carl Wilkinson, Robert Summers, Sheriff Martin Pace, Leroy Williams, the Vicksburg Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and the staffs of Shady Lawn and Serenity Premier Hospice.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, 1830 McWillie Circle, Jackson, MS 39206.