Michael Wilkerson Obituary, Death – Michael Layne Wilkerson, 72, died in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky on Monday, December 26, 2022. Dr. Daniel Koehn will preside over the services on Friday, December 30, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Harrod Brothers Funeral Home. The funeral will be held at Frankfort Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at Harrod Brothers Funeral Home on Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mike Wilkerson was the tenth of eleven children born to Finis and Lou Birdia Wilkerson in Glasgow, Kentucky. He was raised in Austin, Barren County, graduated from Austin Tracy High School, and was a longtime member of Mount Olivet Baptist Church.
He later attended Murray State University, where he was a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity member. After graduation, Mike moved to Frankfort to work for the Department of Agriculture, where he eventually retired after 30 years of service in the Division of Shows and Fairs. He made enormous contributions to agriculture, both in Kentucky and globally, and particularly to the dairy industry. His family recalls fondly accompanying him on his annual duties at the Kentucky State Fair and the North American International Livestock Exposition. He spent his retirement tending to his livestock, garden, and crops on his own modest farm in Anderson County.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Maggie Tackett Wilkerson; sons, Layne Wilkerson (Natalie) of Frankfort, Kentucky, and Kenny Wilkerson (Courtney) of Lexington, Kentucky; daughter, Jeanne Parrish (Keith) of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky; siblings, Lou Jean Jewell, Orville Wilkerson (Joyce), Evelyn Billingsley (Ray), Jan Groce (Bobby), Donald Wilkerson (Wanda), all of Barren County, Kentucky. Margaret, Amelia, Charlotte, Ross, Molly, and Calvin Wilkerson were his six grandchildren.
His parents, brothers Robert, Richard, Hugh, Clifton Wilkerson, and sister Sandra Wilkerson predeceased him.
Tim Wilkerson, Todd Billingsley, Chris Billingsley, Clay Groce, Danny Shipley, Stewart Gritton, Jim Claycomb, and Keith Parrish will serve as pallbearers. Bruce Groce, Brad Groce, Jeff Wilkerson, Betsy DeKoster, and Cecil Goodlett will serve as honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Mt. Olivet Cemetery Fund, 1032 Austin Tracy Road, Lucas, KY 42156, or the Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in Frankfort.