Norma Lou Parrent Wilkins, 88, of Benton, Kentucky, passed from this life peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at Baptist Health of Paducah, Kentucky.
Born October 14, 1933, in Lyon County, Kentucky, she was the daughter of the late Edgar Parrent and the late Leora Cash Parrent Brooks. Due to the unexpected death of their father, Norma and her sister, Joyce, were raised by their Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Leslie Dorroh in Evansville, Indiana.
It was in Evansville that she met and married the love of her life, Calvin Clark Wilkins, on August 3, 1952. They enjoyed 69 years of marriage before the death of her beloved husband. She was an accomplished writer of poetry, writing about their life and ministry together and their precious family.
She leaves behind a daughter, Rebecca Wilkins McKendree and husband Ricky of Benton, Kentucky, and two sons, David Wilkins of Springfield, Tennessee, and Steve Wilkins and wife Shari of Benton, Kentucky.
They were blessed with six grandchildren: Ashley Wilkins Gibbons and husband Chris of Rockfield, Kentucky, Justin McKendree and wife Callie, Jason McKendree and wife Carolyn, and Jessalyn McKendree Hardy and husband Branon, all of Benton, Kentucky, Jenny Wilkins Owens and husband Clay of Nashville, Tennessee, and Jacob Wilkins and wife Linsey of Bowling Green, Kentucky. She also leaves behind fourteen beautiful great-grandchildren.
Norma is also survived by one sister, Joyce Norman of Dacula, Georgia. She was preceded in death by one brother, Woodson Parrent, and two sisters, Meredith Duncan, and Inez Thacker.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Friday, October 7, 2022, at Collier Funeral Home in Benton, Kentucky.
The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at Bethel Baptist Church, Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Friends will be received from 11:00 am until the funeral hour at the church. Interment will follow the service in Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery.