David Preis Wilkinson ’45 *49

Dave Wilkinson died Feb. 14, 2008.  

He entered Princeton from West Orange (N.J.) High School 10 years behind his brother, Harry ’35. Dave accelerated in his studies and received a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 1944. In addition to joining the Princeton Flying Club, he was a member of Dial Lodge.  

Dave served in the Pacific as a construction officer with the 13th Naval Construction Battalion, seeing combat on Tinian, Okinawa, and Guam before returning to Princeton to receive a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1949. He then joined Rand Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif. His business career was diversified and included stints with General Electric and Xerox.  

Dave’s favorite hobby was collecting antique classic and sports cars — at one time, he had 45.  

In 1953, Dave married Cynthia Hunt, who survives him along with their four daughters, Hillary, Leslie, Amy, and Stephanie, and several grandchildren. The class expresses its sympathy to them all.