Services for Sharon Gail Rawls Wilkins of Milton, Fla. are 2p.m., Tuesday, June 29, at New Prospect Baptist Church with burialin the church cemetery.

Visitation was Monday from 6-9 p.m., at Brookhaven Funeral Home,and will be Tuesday from 1 p.m. until the service at the church. Aspecial memorial service will be held for Sharon at Hickory HammockBaptist Church in Milton, on Thursday, July 1, at 2 p.m.

Mrs. Wilkins, 38, died June 26, 2004, at her residence. She wasborn at King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven on Aug. 28,1965, the third daughter of Charles Rawls and Helen SiscoRawls.

She was baptized at New Prospect Baptist Church in Brookhaven.Sharon was also an active member at Woodland Hills in Jackson andHickory Hammock in Milton. She enjoyed working with Sunday School,VBS, youth and Acteens. Sharon graduated from Brookhaven Academy in1983. She attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College and graduatedfrom Mississippi State University in 1988 with a B.B.A. in businessinformation systems and quantitative analysis. She worked atGeorgia Pacific in Monticello and at the University of MississippiSchool of Dentistry.

Sharon married Clay Wilkins on Dec. 1, 1990 at New ProspectBaptist Church. They were married nearly 14 years. Clay surprisedSharon by having a helicopter land at the church for the getawayafter their wedding. Clay continued these expressions of love as hetook care of her until her last day.

Sharon and Clay were blessed with a son on Nov. 15, 1995. Theynamed him Marshall Clayton Wilkins after three of his grandfathers.He was and is the light of their life.

In January of 1998, Sharon was diagnosed with the first ofseveral malignant brain tumors. She and Clay worked togetherthrough several surgeries and radiation and chemotherapy treatmentsdue to multiple recurrences.

Sharon loved working with both plants and people. She was anencourager and inspiration to all. Sharon will always be rememberedby her family and friends for the contagious smile that was alwayson her face. Despite her constant struggles, Sharon drew from herfaith and spiritual strength to be able to enjoy family and friendsthrough her final days.

Preceding her in death were her father; her sister, MelanieRawls Heard; and grandparents Elmer and Audrey Sisco, and JohnMarshall and Mattie Rawls.

Survivors are her mother, Helen Sisco Rawls; her husband, ClayWilkins; her son, Marshall Clayton Wilkins; her sister andbrother-in-law, Linda and Woodie Franklin; her brother, ScottRawls; her nieces, Lyndsay Franklin, Jessica Franklin, and MadisonFranklin; her in-laws, Mary Jo and Sandy Erskine, Fred and CherryWilkins, Lisha and Dan Adam, David and Nancy Wilkins, Jeff andAlisha Wilkins; her special friends for life, Jody Spence Sartin,Pat and Linda Fulgham, Brian and Faith Deily; a large and greatlyloved family; and a host of friends.

Memorial donations may be made to the Hickory Hammock BaptistChurch Youth Peru Mission Fund, 8351 Hickory Hammock Road, Milton,Fla. 32583.