NOTEWORTHY NEIGHBOR

By Jeff Shultz
Managing Editor

April 25, 2007 12:29 pm

— In February of 1953 the Pauls Valley Lions Boxing Club held a match with the Ardmore boxing club. Both clubs fought it out hard, but at the end of the night the series of matches were declared a standstill with Pauls Valley taking five of the 10 matches.
One of the boxers on the Pauls Valley team was Gerald “Jerry” Wilkerson, who knocked out Ted Carter in the second round of the first match of the night.
“We had a good club then,” Wilkerson recalled. “We would go to Norman and box the Navy recruits there at the Navy station and most times we would win.”
Wilkerson, who was born and raised in Pauls Valley, was a good boxer. So good that in 1951 - at least that's the closest he can remember it - he won a Golden Glove match in Ardmore.
“I can't remember my record, but I know I won a lot of bouts,” Wilkerson said of his high school boxing career.
Wilkerson's boxing was cut short when in 1954, while he was a 17-year old PVHS junior; he quit school and joined the Army. For the next 15-years the Army was his life.
“I made a lot of friends while I was in the Army. We had a lot of experiences we shared,” he recalls.
The Army gave Wilkerson a way to travel, something he still loves to do. While serving as a Sgt. First Class in the Army he was stationed in Japan, Germany, Liberia West Africa and Thailand. He ended his military service with a tour of duty in Vietnam.
“I love to travel to see as many countries and sights as I can in my life,” he said. “Paris, France, is probably the best place I've ever been to. It left a great impression on me because of its beauty and landmarks.”
After his service in the Army; after traveling to a variety of world destinations; Wilkerson decided there was only one place for him - Pauls Valley.
“I just love Pauls Valley,” he said. “I was born and raised here. The people are great and we have an interesting history.”
Today Wilkerson owns and operates Jerry's Self-Serv gas station and car wash on South Walnut. In fact, he's owned several car washes and gas stations in Pauls Valley, Wynnewood and Purcell.
“I'm very happy with the career I've chosen,” he said. “I enjoy visiting with my customers the most.”
He is married to Carolyn and they have one son, Ricky; two daughters, Twayla and Christy; three grandchildren, Stephen, Kyle and Madison; and one great grandchild, Makayla.
For Wilkerson, the simple things in life - his family, his job and his hometown, measure success.
“I went from delivering papers for the Pauls Valley (Daily) Democrat as a boy to owning and operating several businesses as an adult.”

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.