David “Chopper” Mack Wilkinson, a beloved resident of Mexico, Missouri, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2025, at the age of 80. Born on July 5, 1944 in St. Louis, David attended Van-Far High School before earning his bachelor’s degree at Missouri Valley College and settling in Mexico, MO. He was a teacher, administrator and later Superintendent in the Van-Far, Mexico, R-6, and Paris R-II school districts having obtained his master’s degree from Northeast Missouri and his superintendent certificate from Mizzou. Never one to be idle, he also worked at the Mexico Vo-Tech, sold insurance, and even owned a sporting goods store for a short time. David formed lifelong friendships within the school districts, and a generation of students across Mid-Missouri still frequently recall the impact he had on them.
On September 10, 1966, David married Karen Irene Grawe. They remained devoted to one another for 50 years until her death in 2016. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Fred Wilkinson, both of Farber, and his brother Rick. He is survived by his sons, Scott and Chad (Katie) Wilkinson, both of Columbia, Missouri, his four grandchildren, Parker, Carter, Eliana, and Savannah, and his sisters Ann and Linda. In his later years, he was blessed to have Ann Hutchinson as his devoted companion until his passing.
David was a mainstay in the Mexico community. He generously gave his time and talents to several organizations, including the First Presbyterian Church and the Optimist Club, where he served as President for six years. David was a lifelong athlete with accolades that included All-State distinction in High School, All-American distinction in college, and induction in 2020 into the Missouri Valley College Hall of Fame. As an adult he was a dominating fast-pitch softball player winning multiple Missouri State Championships and making it all the way to the national championship games and a member of the Bankers basketball team. “Chopper” coached decades of kids in baseball and basketball and championed the creation of girls’ sports in Mexico.
David never met a stranger and gave generously of his time and cooking. He was always cooking up huge batches of Chex mix, ham & beans, or chocolate-covered strawberries to drop off with friends and family. He was famous for his fish fries which he loved to do for our massive Teague family reunions. In his free time, he could be found fishing (so many people to feed!), golfing, or at the ball field cheering on his grandchildren, to whom he was devoted - assuming he hadn’t been ejected for harassing the umpires. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
The family invites you to join them at his visitation at Arnold Funeral Home on Monday, May 5, from 5-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Mexico, Missouri, on Tuesday, May 6, at 10 a.m., following a closed burial for close friends and family at 9:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Optimist Club of Mexico in David's memory. Memorials may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson St., Mexico, MO 65265.
