William Paterson University student Kyle Christopher Wilkinson passed away January 19, 2019 at the age of 29. Wilkinson’s memorial service was held Sunday, Jan. 27 at Shook Funeral Home in Clifton. WPU President, Richard Helldobler sent an announcement about the memorial service to all university students and faculty on Jan. 25, giving all who wished to show support to Wilkinson’s family an opportunity to do so.

Over 100 students, faculty, family members and friends were in attendance. Bob Wilkinson, father of the deceased, gave a small speech about his son’s life.

“Kyle loved life,” Bob Wilkinson said. “It was always about family. Kyle was always helping out. Now we have a void. It was a shock. We spent the best 29 years of our life with him.”

A plaque dedicated to Kyle was issued by the NJ Sharing Network, which is the non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissues in New Jersey.

A slideshow and picture board were set up, showing photographs of Wilkinson throughout his childhood into adulthood. Many pictures were of him and his relatives and friends doing activities outdoors, traveling, and attending football games. A Baltimore Ravens 52 jersey hung at the front of the room, alongside many flowers and more photographs.

Wilkinson was from Kinnelon and was a senior majoring in history, while working as a logistics professional at UPS.

According to the Shook Funeral Home obituary page, Wilkinson was born on Jan. 9, 1990 in Passaic, N.J. He attended Bloomfield High School, where he played varsity football. Wilkinson was a sports enthusiast, loved the outdoors and playing golf. He was also an advocate for the underdog, and a kind and generous person.

Laura and Bob Wilkinson, Kyle’s mother and father, asked that, in lieu of flowers, instead, donations be made to Orphaned Pets, Inc. of West Caldwell, in honor of Kyle’s love of dogs and all animals.

Kyle Wilkinson is survived by his parents, Laura and Bob, his brothers Alexander and Sean Wilkinson, and his grandfather Robert J. Wilkinson.

In President Helldobler’s mass email, he encouraged those impacted by this loss to seek additional support. Student’s can utilize the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center, and the faculty and staff can utilize the Employee Assistance Program as a resource to help cope with the tragedy of Wilkinson’s passing.