JOHN H. WILKINS, a Hingham resident for almost 30 years, died on Monday, Jan. 8th at the South Shore Hospital in Weymouth. He was 85. Mr. Wilkins was born in Newton, MA on Oct. 15th, 1921 and grew up in Newton Highlands. He attended Hyde Elementary School and Weeks Junior High School and graduated from Newton North High School. He attended Northeastern University from 1940 to 1941 as an electrical engineering major, working at General Radio in Cambridge for his co-op job. In January of 1943 he joined the United States Army Force and served with the 51st Fighter Control Squadron in India and Burma. Mr. Wilkins was discharged in February of 1946 with the rank of Sergeant and in June of 1947 enlisted in the Air Force Reserves with the 50th Fighter Wing of the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod.
In 1950 he began his business, Equipment Rental Company at 101 North Beacon St.in Watertown with a partner, Don Bechtel. It was the first tool rental store in Massachusetts. Mr. Wilkins was active in forming the first three rental associations in Massachusetts. He was president of the last one, American Rental Association of Massachusetts. He also served as Region One Director of the National American Rental Association. In 1977 he sold his business and came to Hingham in 1978. In recent years he joined the Service Corps of Retired Executives and counseled people who wanted to start a business or improve the one they had. He also was a member of the Retired Men's Bowling Group and was an active member of the Hingham Congregational Church. He and his wife, Cynthia enjoyed travel and have been all over New England, the American West, the Maritime Provinces and the Canadian Rockies, Hawaii, Mexico, Alaska, several Caribbean islands, England, Scandinavia, Greece, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Australia and New Zealand, the Amazon, China and cruised in the western Mediterranean, the Danube and Northern Italy as well as annual trips to Acadia National Park in Maine.
Mr. Wilkins is survived by his wife Cynthia (Ferres) Wilkins of Hingham; his son Douglas H. Wilkins and his wife Catherine and their three children, Kurt, "C.J." and Caitlin of Heath, MA; his daughter, Cynthia Wilkins of Medway; his stepson Edward F. Fanjoy and his wife Patrice and their children Pamel and Emma of Shrewsbury; his brother Richard S. Wilkins and his wife Marilyn of Lyme, CT and their daughter Susan Simpson and her husband Steve of California and their son Kenneth Wilkins and his children Shoni and Cody of Northern, CA. He is also survived by his former wife, Jean B. Wilkins of Medway and a great-niece, Judy Settles and her husband Dean of MD.
A Memorial Service will be conducted on Saturday, Jan. 20th at 11 AM at the Hingham Congregational Church, 378 Main St. (Rt. 228), Hingham.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Hingham Land Conservation Trust, c/o Kathy Reardon, P.O. Box 10, Hingham, MA 02043.
The interment is to be private.