A graveside service for Rosemary Edith Wilkerson, 87, of Carthage, TX, will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at Friendship Cemetery with Pastor Joseph Smith officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. The family will receive friends after 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning at the funeral home prior to the graveside service. Mrs. Wilkerson passed away on Saturday afternoon, May 17, 2014, at her home near Carthage.

Rosemary Edith Swagger Wilkerson was born on Aug. 12, 1926, in Boring, OR to the late Ney Loyd and Lela E. Howell Swagger. She married Eldon Thomas Wilkerson on Apr. 6, 1956, in Vancouver, WA. Mrs. Wilkerson was an outstanding seamstress, artist, cook, and farmer and she loved to garden and work with crafts. She moved to Carthage in 1979, from Shreveport and was a member of the Friendship Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Darrell Douglas; five brothers, Bob, Howard, Donald, Wayne, and Frances Swagger; and two sisters, Neydene and Viola Swagger.

Mrs. Wilkerson is survived by her husband of 58 years, Eldon Wilkerson of Carthage; one son Walter Douglas of Carthage; two daughters, Marylou Havelaar and husband Ron of Hallsville and Sharron Robinson and husband Clifford of Shreveport; eight grandchildren, Michelle Bolton, Julie Cangemi, Stefanie Hester, Anthony Douglas, Christy Barnett, Ersala Tyer, Brian Douglas, and Wendy Taylor; and nine great-grandchildren.

Serving as pallbearers are Anthony Douglas, James Gage, Edward Taylor, Greg Tyer, Cody Cangemi, and Butch Hester.

If desired, memorials may be made to Friendship Baptist Church, 197 CR 202, Carthage, TX 75633.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.