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Fairfield resident Peter Wilkinson died March 26 at the Carolton Convalescent Hospital in Fairfield. He was 80 years old. Wilkinson was a partner in his own Southport law firm and a volunteer with many local organizations.
Wilkinson was born Oct. 18, 1930 in Cleveland and moved with his family to Bridgeport when he was a childn. He graduated from the Unquowa School and the Kent School before attending Yale University and Harvard Law School. He started his career as an attorney at the New York City firm Carter, Ledyard and Milburn, later becoming a partner at Southports Marsh, Day and Calhoun, which now bears the name Brody Wilkinson.
Before his retirement in 2003, he was a member of the American, Connecticut and Greater Bridgeport Bar Associations and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He had also been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and had been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the publications 2001-2002 edition.
Outside of the courtroom, Wilkinson donated his time as a volunteer to many charities, including the Bridgeport Area Foundation and Bridgeport Student Ministries. He also served as president of United Way of South Western Fairfield County, the Fairfield Museum and History Center, and the Rotary Club of Bridgeport. He was active in his church, the United Congregational Church in Bridgeport, where he served as chairman of the board of trustees, head deacon and moderator. The parish honored him as a Life Deacon in 1999.
Wilkinson was also an avid sports fan. He worked as a student sportscaster during his time at Yale in the 1940s. He later served as an officer at groups such as the Fairfield Beach Club and the Country Club of Fairfield.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Judy; three sons, Peter and his wife, Rosie, of Norfolk, Va., Dan and his partner, Bobby, of Los Angeles, and David and his wife, Monika, of Dedham, Mass.; a sister, Susan, and her husband, Arthur King, of Alta, Wyo.; a brother-in-law, Dan Simkins of Newport, Calif.; two sisters-in-law, Peggy and her husband, Jack Lipincott, of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Sally Taylor of Jacksonville, Fla.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild and many nieces and nephews.
Wilkinson was buried in a private ceremony Monday morning at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Congregational Church, Bridgeport; FSW Inc., Bridgeport; Kent School or the Fairfield Museum and History Center.
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