Millard Wilkinson, ex-Berlin mayor and Camden freeholder, dies at 90

Millard Wilkinson, Jr., a Republican who served on the Camden County Board of Freeholders and past president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, died on June 12.  He was 90.

A businessman, Army National Guard veteran, and volunteer firefighter, Wilkinson launched his political career in 1968 when he won a seat on the Berlin Borough Council.  He and his running mate, Nick Maccaroni, defeated Democrat Rudolph Fernster and Thomas Brennan to hold two open GOP council seats and retain the 4-2 Republican majority.

Wilkinson ran for mayor in 1979 after Republican Samuel Lichtman chose not to run again and defeated George Weitzman in the GOP primary by a 2-1 margin.  He beat Robert Pateronstro, a Democratic councilman, with 56% of the vote.

In 1987, Wilkinson made a bid for Camden County Freeholder.  Running with Lee Solomon, who later became an assemblyman and associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, Wilkinson was defeated by about 4,000 votes against Democrats Joseph Carroll, an incumbent, and David Carlamere.

He ran again in 1990, and voter backlash over Gov. Jim Florio’s $2.8 billion tax increase helped Republicans win three freeholder seats and capture control of county government.  Joseph Condo and Robert E. Kennedy defeated Carlamere and former Assemblywoman Barbara Berman (D-Cherry Hill).

Wilkinson flipped the seat held by Robert Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) until he resigned to seek Florio’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.  He defeated interim Freeholder Carole Rocco by over 7,000 votes.

He lost re-election in 1992, losing to Democrats Scott Goldberg and Steven Petrillo by about 42,000 votes in a campaign led by the recently elected Democratic county chairman, George E. Norcross III.

He served as mayor for twenty years, but lost a bid for re-election to a fifth term in 1999 by about fifty votes to an independent, James Chojnacki.

Predeceased by his wife of 42 years, Doreen, Wilkinson is survived by his four children, including Berlin Councilman Willie Wilkinson, his partner Anthony Geraci, and grandchildren and his great-granddaughter.

A viewing will be held on June 19 at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Berlin, followed by a funeral service at the church.