Albertina L. Wilkinson

Albertina “Tineke” Lie Wilkinson, also known as Tina, 96, of Fredericksburg passed away on Thursday, April 25, 2019.

Albertina was born in 1922 in the Dutch East Indies, which is now Indonesia. Her father died at a young age, so her mother took Tineke and sister Kitty back to her home in The Netherlands. As a teenager Tineke attended boarding school in Switzerland, where she developed her lifelong passion for skiing. Albertina’s family survived the difficult years of World War II in The Netherlands, where she attended Delft University and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemistry.

Albertina met John Ultee, also a chemist, and they married after the war. After John received his PhD the couple settled in Delft, both working at the Technical Institute.  They had three sons, Maarten, Michiel and Frank. John was recruited by the DuPont Company to work in the USA, so the family emigrated there in 1953, settling in Waynesboro, VA, where their daughter Irene was born a few years later. Tineke was devoted to education and taught chemistry, French and general science at the high school and college level. She instilled in her children a similar devotion to learning and was proud of their accomplishments.

Albertina and John parted ways in 1963. While raising the children on her own, she achieved a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia. In 1979 she married Dr. W. Kenneth Wilkinson, also a DuPont chemist. Both Tineke and Ken loved to travel, visiting dozens of countries around the world. Ken took up skiing to be with Tineke, and both were also avid tennis players and remained fit into their later years. She was a skilled flower gardener and enjoyed a good bridge game as well. Tineke was a member of the League of Women Voters, the American Association for University Women, and the First Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro, VA.

Albertina is remembered for her devotion to her children and grandchildren, love of learning, energy and industry.

Survivors include her four children: Dr. Maarten Ultee, Dr. Michiel Ultee and his wife Dr. Patricia Dedert, Dr. Frank Ultee and his wife Bea Ultee, Irene Ultee, Esq. and her husband Dr. Mark McClanahan; six grandchildren Jeffrey Ultee, Dr. Elizabeth Ultee, Timothy Ultee, Nicholas Ultee, Alex McClanahan, and Jonathan McClanahan; and her sister Kitty Lie Go.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 15 at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 500 S. Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, VA 22980.