Keith Steven Wilkins obituary
Keith Steven Wilkins was born on Monday, January 13th, 1969 at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital, the second of two sons to native Chicagoans George & Velma Wilkins. A gregarious, happy, and bright child, Keith attended Harvard St. George School in Bronzeville. He was a good student with a talent for mathematics; however, he showed an even greater talent for basketball. The class of 1984 graduate was one of the leading scorers on his 7th and 8th grade school basketball teams. From Harvard St. George, Keith would attend the noted Whitney M. Young Magnet High School on Chicago’s west side, matriculating as a member of its eighth graduating class in the Spring of 1987.
Deciding to remain close to home for college, Keith chose to attend Bradley University in Peoria. As a junior and senior, he regularly pinned general interests and sports stories for the school newspaper, The Bradley Scout. While on campus, Keith was recruited by members of the oldest Black Greek organization in America – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated – to join their ranks. He accepted the challenge, ultimately becoming a member on March 24, 1988. Three years hence, Keith concluded his studies in Peoria with a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Public Affairs and began a career in education with the Chicago Public Schools a month later. During his 10+ years at CPS, he taught at several schools, including St. Ignatius Elementary, Paul Revere Accelerated, and Ella Flag Young.
It was this during this engaging and productive period Keith also, became a member of the Prince Hall Fraternal Order of Free Masons; completed a Masters in Education at Loyola University in Chicago; and, perhaps most importantly, met his future wife, the former Ms. Alenda Summers. The two began dating in 1993 and were married on an unseasonably warm and sunny Saturday afternoon, the 12th of April, a decade later.
Growing increasingly frustrated with his career in education, in 2000 Keith began an entrepreneurial venture buying, rehabbing, renting, managing, and selling single-family homes both in and near Chicago; an enterprise which spanned several years. Restless still, in 2009 he received a certificate in Paralegal Studies from Roosevelt University. Considering another career change in 2011, Keith became a Certified Nursing Assistant and Electrocardiograph Technician, skills that would come in handy for an unexpected venture into home care. As the health of his parents declined over the last years of their life, Keith and Alenda became their primary and daily caregivers. He was nothing if not a dutiful son.
An avid, lifelong lover of all things sport, Keith was a excellent swimmer, steady skier and bowler, loyal fan of almost all things Chicago – Bears, Bulls, and White Sox – and board game enthusiast, Keith was also an adept bid whist player, once partnering with his father to win a popular tournament held at the Beverly Country Club.
A dutiful member of the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn congregation, Keith served as a member of the Usher Board for over 15 years. The devoted and beloved husband, father, brother, nephew, cousin, colleague, and friend – one of the kindest, gentlest, and earnest souls one could ever come to know – too early left this world on June 4th, 2020.
Husband, father, son, brother, cousin, and friend Keith Steven Wilkins is survived by, in no particular order:
Wife – Alenda; Children – Bryce (son), Mackenzie (daughter); Brother – Craig; Aunts – Anita, Anne Jean, Diane; Uncles – Kenneth, Laurence, John; Father-In-Law – Nathaniel; Sisters-In-Law – Nellie, Dee; Brother-In-Law – Naeem; Nieces – Sanaa, Malia, Kelli, Janiah, Kylea, Carrie; Nephews – Lamont, Aaquil, Alex, Keenon; First Cousins – Vicky, Lisa, LaShaun, Donna, Felicia, Sandra, Elayne, Diane, Prince, Dorian, Brian, Lance, Norman, Jeffery, Robert, Larry, Aaron, Ishaq, Ramadan, Tariq, Douglas – 52 Second and Third Cousins, as well as many Masonic and fraternity brothers, friends, and acquaintances.
