Gary Wilkins

In order to get this right I am writing it myself. I was born in New Hampton, Iowa, in 1932, the son of Charles F. Wilkins and Evelyn Bliss Wilkins. They later divorced. I graduated high school in May, 1949 and, under considerable duress, was sent off to the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. I survived there until Thanksgiving 1950 and returned home.On March 1, 1951, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, one of the two or three best decisions I ever made. After boot camp at San Diego and infantry training at Camp Pendleton, I arrived in Korea in August, 1951 and joined the First Marine Division where I served until returning to the U.S. in September, 1952. I joined the 3rd Marine Division in California, and with the Division, moved to Japan in July, 1953. I returned to the U.S. and was discharged in February, 1954.I attended the University of Iowa until June, 1959, earning both B.A. and M.S. degrees in Geology. I began my career in oil and gas exploration and development in 1958 as a "summer hand" with the Magnolia Petroleum Corporation, working in northern New Mexico. After receiving my M.S. degree in 1959, I began 15 years of service with the Mobil Oil Corporation, living in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Denver.I was lucky enough to work all over the Mid-Continent of the United States as well as on the North Slope of Alaska and Offshore California. After nine years with three progressively smaller companies, I became an independent consulting geologist in 1982, concentrating on Western Oklahoma and Western Kansas. I was lucky enough to survive as such until I finally retired in 2004 at the age of 71.In 1956, I married Marjorie Brunsvold and we had three children, Daniel (1957), Julie (1962), and Sarah (1960). Sarah died shortly after birth. We divorced in 1978.I later met Nanette Gray and after a suitable period of getting acquainted, we become loving partners in 1982 and have been such to this day. She has been the strong helpmate of my life ever since and I am very lucky that this happened.Preceded in death by my parents and my daughters, Sarah and Julie. Survived by Nanette, Dan, three grandchildren, and my siblings, Anne, Michael, and Jim. Also Nanette's children, Miles and David.Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 at Horan & McConaty Chapel at 5303 East County Line Road, Centennial, Colorado, 80122. It will be immediately followed by interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 12 p.m.Memorials may be made to the Semper Fi Fund at www.semperfifund.org.