Joe Douglas "J.D." Wilkerson

Joe Douglas â??J.D.â? Wilkerson, 75, of Montgomery, AL, passed away Saturday, October 4, 2008 in Asheville, NC. Joe was born on August 8, 1933 in Dandridge, TN, the son of the late Ralph Charles and Rebecca Moore Wilkerson. Preceded in death by son, Steven Craig Wilkerson. Joe is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Lois Ruth Wilkerson; son Mark Wilkerson and his wife Eloise of Montgomery, AL; son David Wilkerson and his wife Kristen of Asheville, NC; and daughter Dr. Anne Wilkerson of San Luis Obispo, CA. He also leaves five grandchildren; Ruth and Anne Miles Wilkerson of Montgomery, AL and Charlotte, Peter and Grant Wilkerson of Asheville, NC; brother Warren Wilkerson; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joe was a loving and selfless father, grandfather and friend. Raised in Dandridge, he spent two years in the U.S. Army before receiving a degree in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee. Joe began work for the Bureau of Public Roads, now the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA), in 1959. Over the next 46 years, he built a reputation as a leader in the design and construction of numerous state and interstate roads across the Southeast. Joe served the FWHA in various locations including Nashville, Atlanta, Raleigh and Montgomery, rising to Division Administrator of the Alabama Division in 1983, where he worked until his retirement in 2005. Joe received numerous professional awards including the FWHA Administrator's Award for Superior Achievement, the Secretary's Award for Meritorious Achievement, the Administrator's Heartland Award and the William K. Fung Memorial Award for significant contributions in achieving FHWA Civil Rights objectives. He was the 2005 recipient of the Joe D. Wilkerson Alabama Highway Safety Award, which was created by the State of Alabama to recognize and honor his tireless work as a champion for highway safety. In 2006, he was inducted into the Alabama Road Builderâ??s Association Hall of Fame. Joe, a member of First Baptist Church of Montgomery, will forever be remembered for his kindness and humility. Graveside funeral services, Tuesday, October 7, 2008, 11:00 AM at Shady Grove Methodist Church Cemetery, Dandridge, TN with Rev. Scott Brady officiating. Family will receive friends, Monday, October 6, 2008, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Farrar Funeral Home in Dandridge, TN. ARRANGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME, DANDRIDGE, TN www.farrarfuneralhome.com