Pioneering Southern Nevada science teacher Wilkinson dies
Las Vegas NV Sun 25Aug99 L5
By Ed Koch: Las Vegas Sun

Pioneering Las Vegas science teacher Lelwin Wilkinson died on Saturday, August 21st following a long battle with cancer. He was 82. Wilkinson was a long time science teacher at Robert O. Gibson Junior High School, where he worked from 1963 to 1979, starting the biology course there after heading the science department at Western High School. In 1968 he was recognized as outstanding biology teacher in Nevada.

Wilkinson was a member of the LDS Church who devoted more than 5 decades to teaching youth in Nevada, Utah and Arizona. He graduated in 1939 from Utah State University, and married the same year in the St. George Temple.

Family members say that Wilkinson will be remembered most for his teaching. "Teaching and farming were always in Dad's blood," said son Verl Wilkinson, "He was an excellent teacher who started a lot of programs in Las Vegas, including the debate team at Gibson, which won awards here and in California.

After he retired from teaching, Wilkinson taught sunday school, played in small community bands, and wrote poetry, winning national contest and getting a book of poetry published in 1998 by the International Library of Poetry.