Peacefully resting in a warm bed under a solid roof and known only to God, Wilkie passed away in the early morning hours of March 12, 2025.
Born into a loving family in Jackson, she was the daughter of the late Paul Edward Engle Jr., and her namesake, Wilkie Jane Adams Engle. After graduating from Jackson Prep, she set off for Brenau University in Gainesville, Ga., where she pledged Chi Omega fraternity, continuing her mother’s legacy. A brief stint at Auburn followed, but in true Wilkie fashion, she intentionally failed so “Daddy would be forced to send me back to Georgia.” She soon graduated from the University of Georgia as a member of the Mu Beta Chapter of Chi Omega before moving to Atlanta with her sorority sisters and friends.
Life in Atlanta was full of good times and great friendships. She worked as a paralegal specializing in estates, trusts, wills, and real estate law for several firms before concluding her legal career at RaceTrac Petroleum. Her extensive work in land acquisitions, sales, and licensing sparked her interest in real estate, leading her to join Harry Norman Realtors, where she fondly remembered Mr. Norman’s advice: to be successful, “you need to drive a different way, through a different neighborhood every day.”
Wilkie was a lifelong member of the Junior League of Atlanta, having joined in 1982. She dedicated her time to volunteering for organizations such as the Crawford Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship, where she helped children with disabilities build confidence and physical skills, and Egleston Hospital for Children. She also coordinated fundraising events for the Shepherd Spinal Clinic, served as a docent at Zoo Atlanta, and was active in the Colonial Dames of Georgia the Atlanta Society, and the Atlanta Historical Society.
In Atlanta, she met her husband, and on March 1, 2003, they married at St. James’ Episcopal Church. Their union added a new layer of familial confusion—Paul became the second Paul to marry a Wilkie. Much to her mother’s dismay, she kept her maiden name, but she continued the family’s cherished naming tradition, soon welcoming another Wilkie and another Mayrant at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
Following the passing of her father, and with Paul’s unwavering support, Wilkie returned to Jackson to work with the family’s commercial contracting business, Mayrant and Associates. Alongside her trusted friend and partner, John McIlwain, she expanded the company’s reach and reputation, ensuring its continued success.
Wilkie and her family settled into life in Jackson, where she became deeply involved with her church family at St. James’ and joined her mother at the Matrons Luncheon Club. She followed in her mother’s footsteps as chairwoman and later advisor of The Debutante Club of Mississippi, working tirelessly to uphold its legacy.
Life moved to the familiar rhythm of family—school and carpool, slipping notes into lunchboxes, cheering at softball, tennis, and swim meets, and delivering the classic one-word parental lecture: “Really?” But at the heart of it all was her and the girls’ true passion—caring for and riding horses.
That love led to years of equestrian competitions across the South, with Tryon, nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina, holding a special place in her heart. She never left without bringing home something new from the tack shop, always brushing off Paul’s less effective one-word lecture.
Fiercely private, she never wanted anyone to worry about her, but she made one thing clear—no matter what life brought, the girls had to “get back on that horse.” Said literally more often than figuratively.
A mother and wife to the depths of her soul. A horsewoman at heart.
Wilkie summed it up best:
“As we all know, life doesn’t always match a little girl’s assumptions. In my case, I threw in years of work in Atlanta before getting married, having twin girls, and returning to Jackson to be part of the family business.”
She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul Edward Engle Jr., and Wilkie Jane Adams Engle, as well as her brothers, Paul Edward Engle III and Mayrant Adams Engle. She is survived by her husband, Paul Andrew Gonwa; her daughters, Ellen Mayrant Gonwa and Wilkie Lampton Gonwa; and her lifelong friend, Wesley C. Lutken Jr.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 17, at 11:00 a.m., in Fowler Hall at St. James’ Episcopal Church, 3921 Oakridge Drive, Jackson, MS 39216, followed by a Rite I service at noon. A private family graveside service will take place at Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. James’ Episcopal Church.
