Although he was born in Arizona and spent his early years in Texas, O.W. Wilkerson loved the town of Claysville, where he and his wife, Agnes, had made their home for 56 years. The Wilkersons raised their two sons and a daughter in the quiet little borough located in the southwest corner of Washington County, and founded Wilkie Contracting Company there in 1956.
His love of Claysville motivated his daughter and son-in-law to initiate the O.W. Wilkerson ʺWilkieʺ Memorial Fund to support the Claysville community. A few organizations in particular will benefit from the Fund, including the Claysville Volunteer Fire Department, CAPRI, the Washington, Pennsylvania Salvation Army, and the Claysville Christian Church.
Wilkie as he was known to his many friends, was a 45 year member of the Claysville Lodge 447, was inducted into the East Finley Friends Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Syria Temple. He was also on the Board of Directors of the First National Bank & Trust in Wheeling, West Virginia, which is now part of WesBanco.
In addition to monetary gifts, he would often donate the use of his business equipment and labor to the community. The gifts were always to be ʺanonymous,ʺ but the community knew, especially when a construction truck would arrive for a project, and the company name was printed clearly on the side.