Douglas Langley Wilkey

Portsmouth, RI - Douglas Langley Wilkey, 73, of 174 Middle Road, Portsmouth, RI, died Sunday, May 4, 2008 at Newport Hospital, Newport, RI. He was the husband of Marjorie Louise Barker Wilkey. Born in Fall River, MA on December 12, 1934, he was the son of the late Duncan McLean and Eliza Hall Wilkey.Mr. Wilkey was a 1952 graduate of Rogers High School and was a member of the band. He served in the United States Navy and is a plank owner of the USS Saratoga and also held private pilots license. Mr. Wilkey worked as a Senior Field Representative for 31 years for the Underwriters Laboratories retiring in 1999; he also worked for the former GE Monowatt Plant in Newport for 10 years. Mr. Wilkey was a member of the Portsmouth United Methodist church and served as a former trustee and treasurer and presently is a member of the choir and the Instrumentalists trumpet of the church. He was also a member of the Republican Town Committee, the St. Johns Lodge of Masons AF and AM and served as past master and presently as Junior Warden, a member of the Portsmouth Senior center and sings in the choir and plays the trumpet for the senior center and a former member of the Newport Concert Band. He served as treasurer of Portsmouth Nursery School, served as Cub Scout Pack Leader presently serving as treasurer of Portsmouth Historical Society, serves as tour guide at the Russian sub Juliette 484 that sank in Providence, served as former Town Sergeant in Portsmouth and former sealer of weights and measurements for Town of Portsmouth and served many capacities on the School Committee for Portsmouth High school and was instrumental in building the new gymnasium. He received the Friend of 4H award, had some of his poems published and is a frequent contributor of editorials to the Newport Daily News. From 1984 to 1992 he served on the Portsmouth School Committee and presently serves on the school committee now until his term expires in 2008. In 1993 he moved to Kinston, NC for a job transfer with UL, while in NC he was a member of the Westminster Methodist Church and the St. Johns Masonic Order. Mr. Wilkey was an avid lover of music, an avid motorcyclist and loved the ocean and people. Besides his wife of 49 years, he is survived by his son Dana James Wilkey and his wife Madeline of Tiverton, RI, his brother Duncan McLean Wilkey, Jr. and his wife Helen of Portsmouth, RI, his grandsons Jeremy Douglas Wilkey of Swansboro, NC and Andrew Clarke Wilkey of Wilmington, NC and his great-granddaughter Jasmine Marie Wilkey of Swansboro, NC. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008, at 1:00pm in the Portsmouth United Methodist Church, 2732 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Portsmouth United Methodist Church, 2732 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department Rescue Wagon Fund, PO Box 806, Portsmouth, RI 02871 or to USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc., PO Box 28581, Providence, RI 02908.