Rex Glenn Wilks

Rex Glenn Wilks passed away June 14, 2005, after bravely enduring a struggle with bile duct cancer.

Rex was born July 28, 1930, in Paris (Bear Lake County), Idaho. He was the son of Claude Jarvis Wilks and Ruth Grandy.

Rex grew up in Paris, Idaho, until age 9. His family then moved to Logan, Utah, and they later moved to Ogden, Utah, where he graduated from Weber High School in 1948. After high school, Rex attended business school and worked for the Pacific Fruit Express, a branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. He iced cars carrying produce and other perishables and also worked as an inspector.

Rex enlisted in the Air Force in the fall of 1951 and was stationed at Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake. While stationed in Moses Lake, he met his future wife, a local gal, named Bonnie Joyce Tolley. Rex was discharged from the Air Force in November, 1954, and returned to Ogden, Utah.

In Ogden, he resumed working for the railroad and benefiting from the G.I. education bill, he enrolled in classes at Weber State University. After graduating from Weber State University with a two-year degree and while continuing to work at night, Rex began commuting daily to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business in 1961.

His first teaching job out of college was at Mound Fort Junior High School in Ogden, Utah, where he taught for two years and continued working at the railroad at night. In 1964, the family moved back to the great state of Washington. Rex taught business classes at Royal High School the first year the school opened and the family moved to Royal City. While teaching full-time at the high school, Rex attended Central Washington University in Ellensburg and obtained his master's degree in Business Education. Rex taught at Royal High School for two years. During this time, he also developed a 100-acre, virgin farm unit which was in sagebrush.

Rex started teaching accounting and other business classes at Big Bend Community College in the fall of 1966. In 1983, Rex and Bonnie moved to Moses Lake. Rex taught at BBCC for 29 years and retired in December, 1995. Rex loved teaching and he relished helping his students learn and mature. He inspired them to reach their goals; he touched many students' lives while at Big Bend. He considered himself fortunate to work with so many good people at BBCC.

Rex was a member of the Moses Lake 3rd Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he held the office of High Priest. He and Bonnie recently completed an 18-month service mission for the Church from August, 2002 to March, 2004.

Rex dearly loved his family and many friends. He enjoyed the outdoors and loved to hunt, fish and camp. He also enjoyed sports and was an avid supporter of the Moses Lake High School and Big Bend athletic teams and liked to keep stats at every sporting event he attended.

Rex was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Ruth Wilks; brother, Kenyon Wilks; sister-in-law, Louise Wilks; nephew, Gregary Wilks; and mother-in-law, Fern Tolley.

He is survived by his wife, Bonnie Wilks; three daughters: Julie Pollard, Joan Hicks, and Allien Wilks; one son, Preston Wilks and his wife, Marni; one niece, Pamela Miller; and nine grandchildren: Robert, Barton and Mackenzie Pollard; Jennifer and Steven Hicks; Jordan, Madison, Quincy and Jackson Wilks.

Services will be held Friday, June 17, at 2 p.m. at the LDS Stake Center on Division Street in Moses Lake. The family will greet friends at the visitation on Thursday evening from 5 until 7 p.m. at Kayser's Chapel of Memories and at the church on Friday from 1 until 1:45 p.m.

Contributions may be made to the Rex and Bonnie Wilks Accounting Scholarship in care of the Big Bend Community College Foundation.