Gwendolyn Wilkes

Gwendolyn Geneva “Botts” Wilkes, affectionately called
“Juanita”, was born the third of eight siblings to the late Oscar
Arnold and Jenny Louise “Dusty” Botts in Burlington, Ohio on
April 9, 1925. Growing up in Ohio, she attended First Baptist
Church of Burlington and was baptized in the Ohio River at an
early age. Gwendolyn attended South Point High School, graduating
in 1943. Three years later, in Huntington, West Virginia,
she met and fell in love with Sgt. Frank Walker Wilkes. They
eloped to Catlettsburg, Kentucky and were married on July 31,
1946. After living a short period in Huntington, Gwendolyn and
Frank began their life together in Logan, West Virginia. Over the
years, they were the loving and proud parents of three children:
Mary, Frank Jr. and Sheryl. Gwendolyn and Frank were married
for 47 years and raised their children to reverence the Lord.
She was a devoted and active member of Greater Mt. Zion
Baptist Church and the Guyan Valley Charity Music Association,
in Logan County, West Virginia. Gwendolyn participated and
held numerous positions: Sunday School Teacher, Secretary of
the Guyan Valley Congress of Christian Education, Guyan
Valley Deaconess and President of the Guyan Valley Sr. District
Choir, Head of Church Kitchen and Church Program Committee
Chairman; and after the death of her husband, she assumed the
role of Church Treasurer.
Gwendolyn was a member and Past Matron of Queen of
Sheba Lodge #8, Past Grand District Deputy 3rd District, both of
Holden, West Virginia. Shortly after moving to Cincinnati in the
Summer of 2009, she became a member of Greater New Hope
Missionary Baptist Church.
Following a sudden illness with several complications,
Gwendolyn received her reward and departed this life on October
7, 2014. She was preceded in death by her mother, Jenny L.
Botts; father, Oscar A. Botts; devoted husband, Frank W.
Wilkes, Sr.; sister, Earline Botts; four brothers, Lloyd, Lawrence,
Thomas and Harry Botts; and niece, Cynthia Morton. She
leaves to cherish fond memories: two daughters, Mary R. Wilkes
of Cincinnati, OH and Sheryl L. Harris of Columbus, OH; son,
Frank W. (Paulette) Wilkes, Jr. of Clinton, MD; brother, Charles
(Phyllis) Botts of Ashland, KY; sister, Ruth H. Payne of Burlington,
OH; granddaughter, Vanessa R. (Christopher) Howard of
Cincinnati, OH; four grandsons, Frank W. Wilkes, III, Trevor
(Delana) Wilkes of Clinton, MD, Tracey L. (Brandy) Harris of
Kent, OH and Tramaine J. Harris (Shalonda) of Columbus, OH;
three great-grandsons, Donavyn Harris of Columbus, OH,
Andrew and Daniel Howard of Cincinnati, OH; six great-granddaughters,
Tanjenae, Trayce and Braydn Harris of Kent, OH,
Destinee Wilkes of Clinton, MD, Shamauri Harris and Shamyiah
Anderson of Columbus, OH; and a host of nieces and nephews.