Carolyn Marie Barnette Wilkerson

Published 11:18 am Friday, July 11, 2014

Carolyn Marie Barnette Wilkerson died Wednesday, July 9, 2014, at her home in Mobile, Ala. She was 65.

Born in Louise, Miss., Ms. Wilkerson moved to Vicksburg in 1957, and was a member of the first graduating class of Warren Central High School in 1966. She began her more than 40-year career in banking as a teller at the First National Bank in Vicksburg, followed by positions with the Bank of Vicksburg and American Bank. However, she found her home at BancorpSouth, where she spent 26 years, serving in the Vicksburg, Pearl and Jackson, Miss., areas, as well as in Birmingham, Ala. In 2005, she moved to Tupelo, Miss., where she held the position of Vice President of Operations until she retired from BancorpSouth in 2013. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Saltillo and the Tupelo Luncheon Civitan, as well as a volunteer with the United Way of North Mississippi and the Parkgate Pregnancy Clinic.

She was preceded in death by her father, Clyde D. Barnette; her mother, Gladys G. Barnette; and her brother Bobby E. Barnette.

She is survived by her son, G.T. “Toby” Wilkerson III (Leigh) of Mobile, Ala.; her daughter, Catherine Marie Wilkerson, of Tupelo; three sisters, Bettye Oakes (Donald) and Janice Parker of Vicksburg, and Tricia Ross (Stanley) of Brandon; six brothers, Milford Barnette (Elfreide) of Edwards, Billy Barnette of West Point, Doug Barnette (Linda Jane) of Muncie, Ind., Robert Barnette and James Barnette of Vicksburg, and Terry Barnette (Angie) of Flowood; two grandchildren, Cain and Savannah Wilkerson of Mobile; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12, 2014, at Riles Funeral Home in Vicksburg with the Rev. Dwight Turner, former pastor of Goodrum Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Gardens. Visitation begins at 9:00 a.m.

Pallbearers will be Blake Barnette, Robert Barnette, Terry Barnette, Donald Oakes, David Oakes, Bill Pittman, and Stanley Ross. Memorials may be made to the Parkgate Pregnancy Center, 100 Parkgate Drive Ext. Suite 2A-H, Tupelo, Miss. 38801 or at www.parkgateclinic.com.