Funeral Services Celebrating the Life of Mrs. Gail Lee Matthews Wilkinson age 69, of Livingston, Tennessee will be conducted 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from the Oak Hill Church, located at 1073 Oak Hill Road, Rickman, TN 38580, The family will welcome friends on Monday, May 19, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and again on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM with the funeral service starting at 11:00 AM. Bro. Todd Sutton will officiate the service. Interment will follow in Eckel Cemetery.

Gail Lee Matthews Wilkinson went to be with her Heavenly Father on May 16, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was born on August 4, 1955, to Jesse and Juanita Pendergrass Matthews at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.   

During her school years, Gail was involved in many clubs and activities such as 4-H, Beta Club, FHA, Piano, and Rainbow Girls. She was also the high school girls’ basketball manager and graduated Rickman High School as valedictorian of her class. After high school, she attended Tennessee Technological University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Education, but more importantly this is where she met the love of her life.   

Gail spent most of her life as a stay-at-home Mom and Grandmother caring for her children and grandchildren. There was nothing more important than her grandchildren; she went out of her way to attend as many of their events as possible. Throughout her life, she was well known for her great cooking, a clean house, canned vegetables from her garden, work in the church, and her love for family.     

As a devoted member of the Oak Hill Church, Gail enjoyed playing the piano, cooking for church activities, teaching Sunday school, leading committees, and preparing meals for the sick and shut ins. Her faith in God, and her faith in His plan for her, never waived during her 11-year battle with cancer.  

She is preceded in death by her parents Jesse and Juanita Pendergrass Matthews, and her grandparents Dennis and Mamie Poston Matthews and Louis and Shirley Garrett Pendergrass.  

She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Jerry Wilkinson; her son Matt (Karen) Wilkinson of Mount Juliet and daughter Lisa (David) Ledbetter of Livingston; her grandchildren Hayden Ledbetter (fiancé Abby Vaughn), Halle Ledbetter (fiancé Connor Gundlach), Dawson Ledbetter (friend Laney Kilgore), Reese Wilkinson, Jesse Wilkinson, and Raven Carpenter. She is also survived by her brother David (Brooke) Matthews of Livingston, sister Renita Sommers (Greg Tubbs) of Cookeville, and mother-in-law Sandra Wilkinson of Portland.   

Serving as pallbearers will be David Matthews, Hayden Ledbetter, Dawson Ledbetter, Raven Carpenter, Ron Hyder, Kenneth Thompson, Halle Ledbetter, Reese Wilkinson, and Jesse Wilkinson. 

Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Steve Bilbrey, Jackie Thompson, Greg Tubbs, Phillip Livingston, Jeff Breeding, Jeff McCormick, and Rick Ferrell. 

Special thanks to the following caregivers: Dr. Edward Levine, Dr. Ernest Buchanan, and the CRMC Cancer Center nurses.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Eckel Cemetery or Oak Hill Church. For Eckel Cemetery, mail donations to Calvin Bilbrey, 250 Johnny Bilbrey Lane, Cookeville, TN 38506.  For Oak Hill Church, mail donations To Renita Sommers, 1505 East Riverside Drive, Cookeville, TN 38506.