'Community's Volunteer Handyman' Killed In Warrington Fire

WARRINGTON, PA — A 73-year-old man who was known as the "community's volunteer handyman" has been identified as the victim of last week's fatal fire in Warrington.

Mike Wilkinson, a transportation executive and founder of the Old Bold Bald Riders motorcycle club, died in the June 25 fire and explosion at his home.

Crews battled the blaze at Grace Lane and Griffiths Road for more than an hour following 911 calls reporting an explosion, police said. The fire was determined to be accidental and its cause is under investigation, authorities have said.

According to his obituary, he worked for more than 35 years at Rampmaster, a Coatesville-based global manufacturer of aircraft refueling vehicles, where he was President for decades. His obituary described him as "a leading expert in the transportation and fueling industry."

He was also the founder and president of the American Association of Old Bold Bald Riders (the AAOOBBR), "a diverse group of over 50 mostly-old, occasionally-bold, and increasingly-bald motorcycle enthusiasts," his obituary said.

He was known as the community’s volunteer handyman, according to his obituary. "Fixing kids’ bikes, neighbors’ cars, maintaining the baseball fields, and getting broken snow blowers running in the middle of January were among his favorite pastimes."

Wilkinson had visited every US state except Hawaii and enjoyed traveling with his family.

Services were held Monday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Building Homes for Heroes at at 65 Roosevelt Avenue, Suite 105, Valley Stream, NY 11581 (http://give.buildinghomesforheroes.org/donate).