Earl Stanley Wilkins, Jr., devoted husband, loving father and cherished son and brother, died suddenly on Feb. 8, 2020, in a tragic auto accident. He was 52 years old.
Earl was born on April 2, 1967, in Alexandria, Virginia. Until the age of 11, Earl lived on his beloved Baggett Street in Old Town Alexandria. His family then moved to the Rose Hill area of Fairfax County. He attended Thomas Edison High School where he excelled in football, basketball, track and art. It was at Edison where he met and dated Charlene Soriano who he later married in 1992. Nine months later, their daughter Maya Angela was born followed by their son, Jay Joseph, in 1996. Earl loved his family more than can ever adequately be expressed.
After attending Maryland Drafting Institute, Earl began a civil engineering career that spanned over 30 years. He worked at Volkert, Inc., since 1995 and would have celebrated his 25th anniversary in May. Earl’s work ethic was unmatched and he was a dedicated and valued leader who also served as a mentor, coach and friend to everyone he worked with over the years.
Earl was a kind, gentle and quiet soul who lived life to the fullest. He did everything with 100 percent effort, veracity, passion and conviction. He loved hard, worked hard and played hard. An avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he loved football, fishing, motorcycles, protection dog training, coaching youth sports, and driving his Jeep through the country.
Earl is survived by his wife of 27 years, Charlene; daughter Maya (26) and fiancé Terrell Fowler; son Jay (23); parents Earl and Patricia Wilkins; sister Sherrell Josey-Wilkins; brother Rodney Wilkins and wife Beverly; father-in-law Jerry Soriano and partner Margaret Meath; mother-in-law Jerrie Kevorkian; sister-in-law Dawn Hogenson and husband John; sister-in-law Shannon Soriano; nieces and nephews Erin, Deondra, Danielle, Cierra, Zack, Alissa, Mariah, Adam and Sean; aunts and uncles Benny and Frances Wilkins, Jacquelyn Ware, Sharon Suggs, Angela Wilkins, Michelle Hammond, Eddie Douglas, Fred Golden Jr., Charles Golden, Ellen and Morris Mills, and John Golden; lifelong friend Harold Ballen; and a host of cousins, relatives and friends.
A life celebration service will be celebrated at First Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 16622 Dumfries Road, Dumfries VA 22025 on Friday, February 21, 2020 with a visitation from 9:30am -11:00am. Services will begin at 11:00 am with interment following at Mount Comfort Cemetery, 6600 South Kings Highway, Alexandria VA 22306.
There will be a repass for the family and friends from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm at the Embassy Suites, 8100 Loisdale Road, Springfield, VA 22150.
