RICHARD E. "DICK" WILKES, PA-C
February 29, 2008

Richard E. "Dick" Wilkes died under the care of hospice in Tampa on February 29, 2008. He was living with his son Jeff at the time of his death. There was no public service per Dick's wishes, no public obituary and he was cremated. He had developed leukemia, was initially being considered for a bone marrow transplant at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center but became too anemic requiring mulitple transfusions weekly. He was alert and active until the day he died.

Dick taught in the PA program from its inception at Sante Fe Community College and moved with it to UF. In 1982 He became interim director of the PA program until Wayne Bottoms was selected as permanent director in 1984. After leaving the PA program he went to work at the Gainesville VAMC in Urology until his retirement. Although I don't believe he ever held office in FAPA he was a regular attendee at one of the conferences while he was practicing. Dick was a New Englander from New Hamshire who never lost his accent or dialect, especially if excited or agitated. To those PAs who knew him he was a friend and mentor who was always quick with a comment or story. To others a "piece of work", but not easily forgotten. In the true sense he was never a "good ole boy", too much sophistication and education. Regardless, at the next PA function I will have a drink in his honor and memory because there are a few of us who, are where we are partly due to his contribution during our formal and post graduate education. A PA can only hope to make half the contribution to the profession as Dick. I regret not spending more time with him and will be more attentive to my older buddies as they retire or leave the profession.

More information will be posted at a later date. No photo available as yet for publication.

Contributed by
R. Keith Bailey, PA-C, MPAS
FAPA Vice President 2008

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