COLUMBIA CITY — Peter D. Wolkins, 81, Warsaw, passed away at 6:32 p.m. Friday, March 16, 2018, at St. Joseph Medical Center, Fort Wayne.
Born Aug. 2, 1936, in Tabor, Iowa, he was the son of Merrille and Mary Roe Wolkins.
He graduated from Warsaw High School with the Class of 1955 and went on to enlist in the U.S. Navy. He served until 1959 and went on to serve in the Navy Reserve until 1963.
He worked for over 40 years as a body repairman, working at Bledsoe Buick before he started Pete's Body Shop in 1961.
Through a church function, he met Nikki Kyler Kinney and the two were married at his home on Dec. 19, 1982.
When Pete was not busy at his shop or spending time with family, he enjoyed attending church, reading his Bible and gardening.
Survivors include his loving wife of 35 years, Nikki Wolkins; daughters, Tanua (Kelly) Stockwell and Connie Wolkins; stepdaughter, Teena (Kenny Rogers) Pence; grandchildren: Kari (Eric) Timmerman, Kierston (Richard) Hernandez and Kyler (Shelby Creekmore) Pence; brothers, David (Candace) Wolkins and D. Otis (Judy) Wolkins; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City, with his funeral service to start at 1 p.m.
Burial will follow at South Whitley Cemetery.
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Memorials toward his final expenses c/o DeMoney-Grimes.
Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send his family condolences online.
