Erlinda Pilkington

Erlinda Rada Pilkington, 69, of Lake Wales, Florida passed away on February 1, 2017 surrounded by her immediate family after a long battle with cancer.   She was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend to so many.        Born in Naga, Philippines on March 29, 1947, Mrs. Pilkington moved to New York City before moving to Lake Wales 34 years ago.   Mrs. Pilkington served as Director of Community and Government Relations at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center in Davenport, where she began as Director of Education in 1992.   A retired registered nurse with a master’s degree in nursing education from New York University, Mrs. Pilkington started the School of Nursing at Webber International University in 1982 and served as director of several departments.   She received her nursing degree from the University of the Philippines in 1968 and was an Industrial Nurse for Pepsi Cola Bottling Company in Naga, Philippines prior to moving to New York City, where she worked as a nurse at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn from 1971 to 1982.      Passionate about education and community service, Mrs. Pilkington was a member of the Board of Trustees for Polk State College; a governor’s appointee to the Central Florida Regional Planning Counsel; board member and past chairperson of Citizen CPR; graduate of Leadership Polk; member of Polk Health Care Alliance; board member and finance committee member of Polk Works; Education Committee member of the Haines City Chamber of Commerce; school advisory committee member of Ridge Career Center; and a Legislative and Government Affairs Committee member of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce; and past chair of the Polk State Foundation.   Mrs. Pilkington received the Citizen of the Year Award in 2015 and Volunteer of the Year Award in 2005 from the Haines City Chamber of Commerce for her dedication to the community.   Mrs. Pilkington is survived by her husband Ed, daughter Lauren and son-in-law Michael, and son James and daughter-in-law Erin, and three sisters Teresita, Gloria, and Lourdes, along with many nieces and nephews.   She loved to travel with her family and collect antiques.   A Funeral Mass will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 644 9 th Street, Lake Wales, Florida. Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, 4620 U.S. Highway 98 South, Lakeland, Florida. The Pilkington family will receive family and friends from 1-2 p.m. prior to the Funeral Mass in the Chapel at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.   In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Mrs. Pilkington’s memory to the Sarcoma Foundation of America online at www.curesarcoma.org , by mail at 9899 Main Street, Suite 204, Damascus, MD 20872; or by phone at (301) 253-8687.