Scott Allen Wilkes

Scott Allen Wilkes, 53, of West Salem, OH, passed away on Friday evening, July 10, 2026, at

FisherTitus Medical Center in Norwalk, OH after sustaining injuries in an automobile accident.

His passing leaves a quiet where the music of his life once played loud, steady, and full of soul.

Scott lived with grit, heart, and music in his veins — a rocknroll soul with a gentle spirit. His

legacy will echo on in every engine he revived, every animal he comforted, and every person he

helped along the way.

Scott was born on July 10, 1972, in Gaylord, MI and grew up in West Salem, OH where he

graduated from Northwestern High School. Throughout school, he was active in 4H and showed

cows, beginning a lifelong connection with animals that stayed with him forever. Animals

gravitated to Scott instantly, sensing the gentleness and understanding he carried. He loved

them deeply, and they loved him right back.

As a young man, Scott loved drag racing at Dragway 42, spending countless weekends running

the strip and collecting trophies. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the competition of

the track were some of his earliest passions — and they stayed with him throughout his life.

Scott lived with the spirit of the rock and roll he loved — especially the 80s and 90s classics that

fueled his days and echoed through every garage he worked in. He spent most of his life in

factory work, most recently at EXTOL in Norwalk, where his strong work ethic, reliability, and

kindness made him someone people trusted without hesitation.

He had one of the kindest souls you could ever meet. He was always willing to help someone

out — whether it was fixing a car, tuning a lawn mower, repairing a bicycle, or simply showing

up when someone needed him. He was a mechanic in the truest sense of the word, able to

bring life back to anything with wheels or an engine. His favorite car of all time was the Pontiac

Trans Am, a machine that matched his personality: bold, iconic, and built with attitude.

Scott is survived by daughter Cheyenne E. Wilkes (David Riffle) of Jeromesville, OH;

grandchildren Cadence Deal, Zachary Deal Jr., and Barrett Riffle; father Allen Wilkes and

companion Cheryl Dunn; brother Daniel Wilkes; sister Kristina (Bob) Houser; significant other of

four years, Brenda Bond of Norwalk, OH; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and

nephews.

Scott was preceded in death by mother Kathryn Wilkes; maternal grandparents Paul (Dolores)

Eicher; and paternal grandparents Norris (Catherine) Wilkes.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Congress Community Church,

10691 Franchester Rd, West Salem, OH. Visitation and receiving of friends and family will begin

at 10:00 AM, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM, conducted by Pastor Tadd

Sponseller.

Donations may be made to the GoFundMe handled by Cheyenne Wilkes at:

https://gofund.me/2dbaa26d1 or directly to Matteson’s Funeral Home, PO Box 314, West

Salem, OH 44287. Online expressions of sympathy may be made by visiting: www.mattesonfh.com