Benjamin Russell “Rusty” Wilkerson Jr. was born September 9, 1937 in picturesque Franklin, TN. From an early age he yearned to attend military school, which he recalled as “fun…cool…football…and girls (a harbinger of things to come).” By the time he graduated from Battle Ground Academy, the die was cast which would lead to West Point. Washington and Lee experiences (ROTC, football) were reinforcing, and then on a hot muggy July 2, 1957 he found himself at Trophy Point with 741 other Class of 1961 candidates swearing to “protect and defend… .”

Five formative West Point years would establish who Rusty would become. He learned self-worth, developed confidence and mastered how to act under pressure, surviving until cow year when Solid Mechanics got the better of him. Rather than quit, Rusty dug in, made a short Vanderbilt detour and fought his way back into the Corps, joining the Class of ’62. This time he succeeded, graduating third from last in his class. He took great pride, realizing that he was still part of the “cream of the crop.” He also relished being integral to two West Point classes.

Rusty was commissioned Infantry in June 1962, attended prep courses, including Airborne and Ranger (the infamous frostbite Class of 1963), and then headed on to Fort Carson, CO, before duty in MACV with the ARVN 22nd Infantry Division in September 1964. On his return, while serving as CO of a training unit at Fort Sam Houston, TX, he was selected to be a GO’s aide de camp. His overseas duty included a second year in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade at An Khe, as well as duty in the Panama CZ at the U.S. Army Tropic Test Center. He had also completed CGSC prior to departing the Army at Fort Campbell, KY in 1976 as a major. Among his awards are the BSM (w/ 2nd OLC), MSM, ACM, and CIB.

While in an airport just before Christmas 1965, prior to Fort Sam Houston, Rusty met a beautiful stewardess. As the story goes, Gini immediately rerouted herself, got on his plane and staked her claim. They married three months later on March 10, 1966 and would produce three lovely daughters.

Rusty’s familiarity with the Fort Campbell bureaucracy led to his first civilian job with the post engineer. This would evolve into the position of deputy director, Engineering and Housing. His success had to do with his knack for working with “blue collars,” as he put it. He regretted leaving his loyal DEH workforce after 35-plus years of combined federal service when he retired in 1992. They were family!

Full retirement was not yet viable. In prior months he had courted and finally won the Kingsport, TN city father’s approval to become director of public works. What ensued was like manna from heaven as things fell smoothly into place—negotiating a salary, selling his Clarksville, TN home, and finding/buying a new home in Kingsport. They did not await the Welcome Wagon, but developed and successfully executed an integration plan to blend into the fabric of Kingsport. It soon became “HOME,” best of their lives. Rusty’s decision to retire a second time came in 1999 when he and Gini decided it was time to travel while they still could. However, he was cajoled back to fill in as the interim facilities manager of the city schools for another nine months. Throughout, he wrote a bi-weekly newspaper column and, to avoid the rocking chair, was a board member of Girls Inc. and Goodwill, drove for Meals on Wheels, and counseled kids interested in West Point. Rusty just was never able to refuse a call to service. He loved his fellow man, and they him (several golf tournaments/outings memorialize his name).

One of the happiest moments of his life occurred June 18, 2016 when he and Gini were feted at a surprise 50th wedding anniversary party, meticulously planned and executed by his daughters. Tales old and newer abounded—his VW bug ending up on the stoops during graduation week, his becoming godfather after organizing annual Santee golf outings having just completed its ninth edition, et al. None of Rusty’s West Point secrets (and others) went unspoken that evening as his E-2 ’61 and ’62 company mates, other West Pointers, even civilian attendees, ghosts of the past and present, roasted him uproariously.

Sadly, months later, Rusty passed on March 30, 2017. He had no knowledge of the cancer until July 2016, but made the most of his last days in his people way. Subsequent to his May 6 Celebration of Life ceremony in Kingsport, some of which he had scripted, including a last round of golf on the godfather, Rusty was inurned at West Point’s Columbarium on June 27, 2017.

Rusty is survived by his wife, Gini; younger sister, Alexine; daughters, Cathy, Marci and Ginny and their spouses Lance, Brad and Eric; and five grandchildren: Payton, Benjamin, Joseph, Ryan and Hope. He is also survived by a host of E-2 company mates who honor him for having been the grist so essential in helping us congeal as a band of brothers (and sisters). What a happy, loveable, iconic character this 79-year old gentle giant of a man, known by many for his raspy voice which resonated at such a timber that it was often audible up to two blocks away, even when he whispered. You’ve lived a life any man would be humbled to emulate and are much beloved by the many whose lives you touched. Well done brother! God Bless! Be thou at peace!