I met Mildred Wilkerson in the Chapel kitchen 15 years ago. She had prepared her popular cheese and sausage strata dish for breakfast. Following the service that Sunday, I poked my head into the kitchen to compliment her on the tasty dish. Although Mildred had been cooking all morning, she was tastefully dressed in a beautiful sweater. In fact, she always dressed immaculately, in a handsome outfit with nails and makeup done. We took a liking to each other immediately and she invited me to stop by her home at 888 Lakeshore – the house with the stained glass windows. She had something she wanted to share with me.

Later that day, my husband Bob and I went over to visit. We took our son Bobby with us, who was probably 18 months old at the time. Mildred loved children, although she and Jack never had any of their own. We chatted for a while and admired her garden. She then presented me with a prized possession, her strata recipe printed on an envelope (Mildred and Jack were known for their frugality!). She told me she was no longer going to cook at the Chapel – it was just too much work for her. At the time of this meeting, Mildred was probably in her late 70s. She seemed to know I was a good cook and wanted me to carry on her tradition of preparing strata for Chapel breakfast. It was a job I readily agreed upon – anything to get that recipe! And, since then, once a year for close to 15 years I have prepared strata because Mildred asked me to.

I really didn't know Jack and Mildred that well. We visited at Chapel or would stop by once in a while, usually when Jack and/or Mildred would call. Jack was a Shriner and always had circus tickets for the kids he wanted to share. I do know Jack was a Colonel during WWII and served in Japan. They had lived all over the world and enjoyed telling stories about their travels. Although they had no children of their own, Jack and Mildred were very close to their nieces and nephews. They spoke of them with affection often and were extremely pleased when they came to visit.

In the last years of their lives, Skip and Pat Johnson played a big role in their lives. Skip chauffeured the Wilkersons to doctor appointments and assisted them with need to be done errands. When they moved to Ivy Hall, Skip made a point of driving them to Berkeley Lake for the July 4 Parade and the Senior Luncheons. Pat often took Mildred shopping. In days gone by, Mildred loved to shop the streets of New York City and the malls but she was just as happy to walk the aisles of Wal-Mart with her dear friend Pat.

The last time I was with Mildred, was the evening we spent preparing breakfast at the offices of Georgia Power in downtown Atlanta. Theresa Sipe had arranged for the Chapel Board to visit the Georgia Power commercial kitchen. About 20 of us drove downtown and prepared breakfast. We then enjoyed a pleasant meal, together with Georgia Power executives. Mildred was the center of attention and enjoyed being the Belle of the Ball. Soon after that night, Mildred had a stroke and died within a couple of months.

The deaths of Jack and Mildred have marked the end of an era for many of us. They chose to retire here in the early 70s and helped start many of the traditions we take for granted today. Their generous donation to the Chapel has made it possible for the remodeling of the kitchen. Although we didn't manage to complete it before their passing, I think Mildred and Jack would be pleased to know their generosity makes it possible for us to continue to enjoy the pleasant get togethers at the Chapel and picnic area that make our community so unique.