James C. Wilkerson, 92, passed away on Sunday August 2, 2020 in Valdosta. He was born in Miami, FL on December 11, 1927 to the late Albert N. and Joy Rasey Wilkerson. James went through elementary school in West Palm Beach, FL; graduated from Julia Landon High School in Jacksonville, FL in 1946; received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the university of Florida in 1951 – 52; and his PhD from Florida State University in 1973. Academic honors include election to the Phi Beta Kappa in Florida in 1951. A veteran, he served in the US Army in the Korean Occupation in 1947. He taught in the English departments at Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville from 1954 to 1958; at East Tennessee State College from 1958 to 1964; and at Valdosta State College from 1964 to 1990. He was an Elk and a member of First United Methodist Church. James is survived by his daughter and son in law, Ellen and Mark Stanley of Suwanee, Ga; numerous cousins in California and Oklahoma; and his beloved fur kids. He was preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, Nancy Ellen O’Keefe Wilkerson. Funeral services for James will be held on Thursday August 6, 2020 at 2 P.M. in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home with Reverend Anthony McPhail officiating. Burial will follow at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, P.O. Box 821, Alpharetta, GA, 30009, www.angelsrescue.org/donate, or First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1306, Valdosta, GA, 31603. Condolences to the family may conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane.