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Dr. Jack Wilkes was born in Honey Grove, Texas on August 5, 1917. He attended college at Louisiana State University, the University of Chicago, and finally Hendrix College where he received his AB degree. He later received a BD from Southern Methodist University. A Methodist minister, he also served as president of Oklahoma City University until shortly after being elected to the office of mayor of Oklahoma City. Wilkes would eventually resign as mayor when he was offered a post as president of Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. Wilkes died after suffering a heart attack on November 8, 1969 while attending a football game between Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University. He is buried in Dallas, Texas.