NATCHEZ — Funeral services for Lawrence Henry Wilkinson, 82, of Vidalia, who died Friday, May 11, 2012 after a brief illness, will be 2 p.m. Monday at Laird Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Glen Harrigill officiating.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. today and 1 p.m. until time of services Monday at the funeral home.

L.H. was born and raised in Busy Corner, in Amite County, the son of Ebbie B. Wilkinson and Betty Williams Wilkinson. He proudly served in the U.S. army during the Korean War. He was employed at International Paper and retired after 36 years of service. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, farming, raising large gardens and tending his cattle. He was well respected in the community, had numerous friends and touched the lives of many people. He was a huge Ole Miss fan, a member of First Baptist Church in Vidalia and attended Riverside Baptist Church in Vidalia in his later years with his children. He was a good, honest, hardworking man, and he loved his family and lived an exceptionally good life.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Joyce C. Wilkinson; two brothers, John Allen Wilkinson and Otis Wilkinson, and two sons-in-law, Randy Robertson and David W. Harveston.

He is survived by his four children, Angela J. Robertson, Larry Joe Wilkinson and wife, Connie, Melanie W. Harveston and Cara W. LeMarie and husband, Tee Ray; one brother, Thomas A. Wilkinson and wife, Pauline; five sisters, Aldean Longmire, Marlene Harrell and husband, Clyde, Fannie Hazlip, Lennie Westbrook and Louann Honea and husband, Johnny; six grandchildren, Michael L. Hughes and wife, Kate, Jessica P. Harveston and fiancé, Jimmy, Ashley Robertson, Clint Wilkinson and wife, Lacey, and Casey Wilkinson and wife, Rhonda; four step-grandchildren, Danielle LeMaire, Wayne Harveston, Wayland Harveston and Tiffany Eubanks; five great-grandchildren, Cade Wilkinson, Avery Wilkinson, Addison Wilkinson, Cash Hughes and Ainsley Wilkinson; five step-great-grandchildren, Dominick Harveston, Xander Harveston, Mallori Harveston, Aubry Eubanks and Kali Eubanks, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Jimmy Temple, Claude Townsend, Larry Strickland, Brad Welch, Casey Wilkinson, Garlen Randall, Jimmy Stone and Cliff Randall.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Willie C. Peterson, Emmett Keating, Centreville Washington, Grover Cavin and Bobby Eubanks.

The family would like to extend a special thanks and appreciation to his sitter and friend Callie “Tit Tat” Thompson, who was his daytime caretaker for the past year. You were a blessing to our family, and to his longtime friends from IP, Willie C. Pearson and Emmett Keating, you were a blessing to daddy on earth and now he joins the rest of the group in heaven.

Online condolences may be made to www.lairdfh.com.