Today's Featured Biography

 
john wilkins

After graduating from LR in 1965, I attended the University of South Carolina (College of Pharmacy) and graduated with a degree in Pharmacy in June 1970.
I was offered and accepted a Job with Smith's Drugs in Rock Hill, SC. After working the internship hours required after graduating , taking 2 exams required by the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy, I received my license to practice as a Pharmacist in SC.
A few years later I applied , took the necessary exams to also practice Pharmacy in North Carolina.

In 1972 I left Smith Drug Stores and went to work for Revco Drug Stores as a Pharmacist/Manager.

I worked for Revco for 25 years, mainly in Rock Hill, but in various towns in NC and SC.
The years that I worked for Revco were the most rewarding, enjoying and satisfying of all my career as a Pharmacist.

In 1974 a scholarship in my name was given to the USC College of Pharmacy by the Burroughs-Welcomme Drug Co.

In 1997 CVS/pharmacy bought Revco and I continued working for CVS (mainly in Rock Hill, but also in many areas of North Carolina)

In 2000, after working in Wadesboro, NC for 2 years, I went to the CVS in Clover, SC
Love the town and people and decided I would stay at this store until I retired. I worked in Clover for 13 years before I retired in September 2013.

I worked for Revco and CVS for 41 1/2 years.

In 2009 I was certified as a Pharmacist Immunizer by the APhA after taking their courses and exams.

The only work I do as a Pharmacist now are Flu Immunization Clinics for Lake Wylie Pharmacy.

After I retired I took the courses and exams to become a Pharmacy Regulatory Specialist.

In my Pharmacy career, my main focus was on the elderly, under privileged and ethnic customers that I served. Of all the awards that I received, the Customer Service Awards meant the most.

I also am proud of the young men and women that worked for me that I trained and mentored that went on to become Pharmacist.
One in particular, started working for me when he was 15 years old. Went on to Pharmacy school , worked his way up in many areas of Pharmacy and now owns 6 independent Pharmacies. He is the majority owner of the Pharmacy that I now do Flu Immunization Clinics.

When I went to Clover, I had the pleasure of reacquainting with 2 teachers that had taught at LR for a couple of years while I was there.
Jack Turpin and Jane McCreight. They were single and met at LR as teachers and married.
Jack was the retired head football coach of Clover High School and Jane was retired as a teacher and Choral Director at Clover Middle School. They became close friends.
I met their 4 children who live in different parts of SC and their grand children.

Jane McCreight Turpin had taught many of the people that worked for me and still knew them all by name. She still lives in the Clover area.

Jack Turpin use to sit in the waiting area of the Pharmacy and talk to the customers ( he knew them all ) and tell them that I was one of his former students. Unfortunately Jack passed away a few years ago after having hip surgery. Not from the surgery , he came thru it fine, but he had diabetes and got gangrene in his leg. He was a good man and friend. I miss him.

I have 3 daughters, 8 grand children ( 6 boys and 2 girls) and a great grand daughter.
Married in 1972, separated in 2003, divorced in 2010.
My interest since retirement are growing African Violets, Raising Chickens and Rabbits,spending time with my grand children, fishing, Our class Website and working on our class reunion for 2015.

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