Pearl Pauline Wilkerson's Obituary
Pearl Pauline Wilkerson, 96, of St. James City, Florida, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026, in Fort Myers, Florida.
Born on August 6, 1929, in Moosup, Connecticut, Pearl was the daughter of the late Joseph and Blanche (Belevance) Sadoway. She moved to Florida in 1955, making the Sunshine State her home for more than seventy years.
Pearl was a woman of deep faith and was a devoted member of Son Rise Baptist Church in Englewood, Florida, where she was actively involved in church life and enjoyed fellowship with her church family. In her earlier years, she was also a proud member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Above all, Pearl cherished her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother whose kindness, strength, and devotion touched the lives of all who knew her.
She is survived by her children, Scott Wilkerson and his wife, Sharon, of Sevierville, Tennessee; Bruce Wilkerson and his companion, Misti McGuiness, of St. James City, Florida; and Sandra Bernat and her husband, Richard, of Griswold, Connecticut. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Gregory Wilkerson, Brice Wilkerson, Richard Bernat, Jr., and Christine Kilduff; her great-grandson, Hunter; her great-great-grandson, Hudson; her sisters, Shirley Lamothe of Washington, Missouri, and Dorothy Smith of Danielson, Connecticut; along with several beloved nieces and nephews.
Pearl was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Rudolph Wilkerson, who passed away in 2014. The couple shared more than 60 years of marriage. She was also preceded in death by three sisters.
Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 1589 Colonial Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL. A funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Entombment will be held privately.
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