Elizabeth Anne Wilkins, a 70-year Gilroy resident, passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, April 15, 2022.  Born July 8, 1930 to Georgiana and Manuel Barrett, she lived her childhood in Princeton, California, and graduated from Princeton High School, where she was valedictorian and avid cheerleader.  She attended San Jose State University, where she earned a B.A. and teaching credential, and also met her husband, Bill Wilkins, to whom she was married for 65 years until his death in 2015.

Betty, as she liked to be called, began and ended her teaching career in Gilroy, taking a break only to raise her 4 children.  She could still remember all her students and was always happy to run into them at the supermarket or in the store, and to catch up on their life as adults.

She was an enthusiastic bridge player for all of her adult life, and a member of several organizations.

She is survived by her children, Rachel Ann (Mirko), Mimi, Bill (Carrie) and Michael, by her 5 grandchildren, Mirko, Chrystel, Tanja (Neil), Clare and Paige, and by her siblings Manuel and Virginia (Dennis), as well as many nieces and nephews.  We all have loving, warm memories of Betty, a wonderful woman in all respects, and are feeling her absence dearly.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.  The family would appreciate donations to Hope Services ( https://www.hopeservices.org/ ) or to the Colon Cancer Coalition (https://coloncancercoalition.org).