Anita Jobe Wilkie

Anita Jobe Wilkie, age 97 of Forest City died Thursday, January 13, 2022, at Upstate Hospice House in Landrum. Anita was born on Jobe Hill in Rutherford County on November 4, 1924 and was a daughter of the late Robert L. and Hattie Allen Jobe. She was a lifelong member of Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church and attended First Baptist Church of Forest City where she was active in both churches.

Anita first attended Brevard College, then Gardner-Webb College and later Limestone College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. She also attended Appalachian State where she graduated and received her Master of Education degree and an Educational Specialist Degree. As a lifelong educator, Anita taught at Chase High School, East Rutherford High School, Cleveland Technical Community College, and Isothermal Community College. Anita was active in community drama, both as actor and director and while at East Rutherford High School, she taught and directed drama. She had a passion for the theater that she shared with her late husband.

Upon retirement, she remained active at East High as a McNair volunteer and worked one on one with many students. Her specialty was the term paper that the student had to accomplish with a passing grade to pass their English class for that year or in some cases to graduate. Some of the students were not actively in school and she met them at the library weekly or more often to keep them on a schedule to rejoin their English class as soon as they were reinstated.

Anita always enjoyed so many social, civic, and church activities and they usually involved time with friends and family: bridge club (maybe more than one), DAR, Triple L at First Baptist, mission activities and worship at Mt. Hebron, Bible study groups and teaching Sunday school at Mt Hebron, ballroom dance lessons and dance club, teachers’ sorority, book club, and the Rutherford County Club. Anita loved to travel with her late husband, "Buddy" and especially enjoyed time spent at the beach together.

She was preceded in death by her husband, H.G. “Buddy” Wilkie, her brother, Allen Jobe, her sister, Margaret Sprinkle and her son-in-law, Romey Forest Bridges, Jr. 

Survivors include her children, David Wilkie and wife Barbara of Forest City, Suzanne Wilkie Bridges of Winston-Salem, and Nancy Jobe Wilkie Kelley and husband Mike of Durham, her grandchildren, Drew Wilkie and wife Megan, Hope Wilkie Williamson and husband J.J., Callie Bridges Smith and husband Lee, Anita Claire Bridges Slade and husband Brent, Joan Conley Stoeckle and husband Adam and Nicklaus Gordon Hermann. There are also thirteen great-grandchildren, Allistair, Emma, and Addison Wilkie, Kendra, Jimmy, Kylie Anita, David Drew, and Jason Williamson, Abby, Anita Lucy, and Will Slade, Conner and Harrison Stoeckle as well as a number of very special nieces and nephews that she loved.

A service of celebration and remembrance will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church at twelve o’clock noon. The family will receive friends in the Sanctuary from 10:30 until 11:45 prior to the service. For the safety of those attending, masks are requested.

Memorials in her memory may be made to Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church, c/o Imagene Hodge, 3111 Hudlow Road, Forest City, North Carolina 28043. The family requests no flowers.

The Padgett and King Mortuary & Crematory is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.