|
Posted May 3, 1999.
Law Librarian and Professor Emeritus of Law, Betty Wilkins
 Betty Wilkins, Law Library Director at the
Gallagher Law Library (University of Washington School of Law) from 1982 to 1985 and
Assistant and Associate Law Librarian from 1965 to 1982, died Monday April 26, 1999
following a short illness.
Betty was one of 17 law
graduates of the UW class of 1938 and was in the first graduating class of the law
librarianship program, finishing in 1940. She worked in the law library from 1938 to 1942
when she retired to raise her family. She practiced law from 1957 to 1965.
The headline in the Seattle paper in 1939 was "15 Men
and Girl Admitted to Bar". Betty is quoted as saying, "Even if you don't intend
to practice law, legal training can be valuable as background".
But, Betty did practice, and she did use her legal training
in her years of work in the Gallagher Law Library.
During her work at UW, Betty was head of technical services
and then public services. Betty probably hired more students and staff at Gallagher than
any single librarian before or since. Over her 20 years of service, she worked as editor
of the "Current Comments" column in the Law Library Journal and served
as editor of the Current Publications in Legal and Related Fields.
Betty was one of those quiet workers who inspired
excellence and dedication in others. She cared about people and the quality of life in
the law library and law school.
Betty had a lot of class. I will miss her.
Betty's funeral service was held at St. Stephens Episcopal
Church, 4805 NE 45th at 10am Friday, April 30th. Betty is survived by her husband, Mr. Les
Wilkins, 3 daughters and several grandchildren.
Mr. Les Wilkins
10901 196th Circle NE #3412
Redmond, WA 98052-7248
Penny A. Hazelton, Professor of Law and Law Librarian
Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library
e-mail: pennyh@u.washington.edu
|
