Alice Charlotte Rieder Wilkerson
Published 2:42 pm Thursday, July 11, 2019
Alice Charlotte Rieder Wilkerson passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019, at her Deltona, Florida home with her loving husband and children by her side. Alice was born on June 17, 1928, in Vienna, Austria, the only child of her beloved parents, Alois and Maria Rieder. Her early years growing up in Vienna, Alice attended parochial school, graduating from high school in 1942. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Higher Business College for Business Men’s Daughters, in Vienna, graduating in 1945. After graduation Alice worked for the Austrian National Bank Vienna. In 1947, while working for the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Vienna, Alice met her future husband, Thomas B. Wilkerson, who was in the U.S. Army and stationed in Vienna following WWII. After Alice and Tom married they resided in Virginia and also traveled the world with the U.S. Army. Alice was a painter and pianist for her entire life. While living in Le Vesinet, Paris, France, she attended the Art School St. Germain Le Vesinet. Alice was an art teacher for the U.S. dependents while living in the Middle East. Her talents are natural and deeply seeded in her ancestry of famous European painters, engravers, musicians, and composers, including Ambros Mathias Rieder and Wilhelm August Rieder. For many years Alice volunteered for the American Red Cross at the U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Monroe, Virginia.
After retirement of her husband, Thomas B. Wilkerson, Major U.S. Army, in December, 1972, Alice and Tom resided in Charlotte County, Virginia and in 1985 moved to Deltona, Florida. Alice attended Mount Harmony United Methodist Church for many years and loved all her friends there. She and her husband traveled extensively throughout the United States visiting every state. Alice was known for her love of painting, her love of music and playing the piano, her love of flowers, her love of traveling and journaling, her love of reading and especially for her love of her family and friends. Alice’s beloved parents, Alois and Maria Rieder; her beloved maternal grandmother, Anna Fischer Gegner; and her beloved daughter, Mary Elizabeth Wilkerson Long, preceded her in death.
Alice is survived by her loving husband, Thomas B. Wilkerson; her loving daughters and son-in-laws, Katherine Lee Wilkerson; Ann Wilkerson Anderson and husband Brian; Cynthia Sue Wilkerson Hussey; Heidi Alice Charlotte Wilkerson Rudig and husband Roger; and son-in-law Wayne Long; her loving grandchildren, Granddaughter Tressa Robison and husband Wayne; Granddaughter Natalee Campagnola and husband Joe; Granddaughter Tina Ahrens and husband Jason; Granddaughter Samantha Share and husband Brandon; Granddaughter Hailie Rudig; Grandson John Long and wife Beth; Grandson David Long; Grandson Shawn Long; Grandson Chase Kauffman; Grandson BJ Bleakley; Grandson Kyle Rudig; her much loved great-grandchildren Hannah, Danielle, Arika, Anna, Karrah, Ethan, Luke, Jacob, Joseph, Brandon, Lilly and Jason and her adorable great-great-granddaughter Zoey.
Funeral and Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery. The family wishes to thank all the doctors, nurses, and medical staff for their care and compassion given to Alice and her family. In memory of Alice, contributions may be made to Mount Harmony United Methodist Church, 4382 Crab Orchard Road, Keysville, VA 23947.