Sue Wilkinson

Sue Wilkinson, 90, passed peacefully on July 5, 2023. Born in rural Coffee County Tennessee on November 26, 1932 in the depths of the Great Depression, she was known as Izzie to her family. Upon moving to White House, Tennessee in her early teens, Izzie decided that her middle name Sue was more becoming. She graduated from White House High School in 1950 and married her high school sweetheart, Joe Shannon Wilkinson, on November 21, 1951. After a brief time in the Air Force, Joe and Sue returned to White House and worked tirelessly to build successful hardware, insurance, and real estate businesses. Sue changed her name one last time to Grandy, which she chose when her precious grandchildren began to arrive.

Sue is preceded in death by her husband, Joe Shannon Wilkinson, her parents Irocus Edward (Roke) Jernigan and Minnie Lee McMurtry Jernigan and siblings Edward Jernigan, Marie Stidham, Gerald Jernigan, Kathleen Jernigan, Irocus Edward (IE) Jernigan, Jr, and Etta Elizabeth (Bibby) Johnson.

Sue is survived by her dear brother, Doug Jernigan, her children June Taylor (Gene), Nancy Sanderford (Wayne), Wade Wilkinson (Vanessa), and John Wilkinson (Amanda) and grandchildren Ben Taylor, Andrew Taylor, Shannon Tresenriter, Brooke Sanderford, Caitlin Wilkinson, Erin Wilkinson, Lucy Wilkinson, Marie Wilkinson, and great-grandchildren Beau Taylor and Teddy Taylor.

 The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers at White House Healthcare, but especially Misty Allen, Sally McCloud, and Bob Allen for their tireless care and attention to Grandy’s comfort in her last years.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday July 27th in the Donald L. Eden Community Room of the Billy S. Hobbs Community Center, 105-D College St. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the White House Hope Food Bank, 212 Portland Rd. White House, TN 37188.