SALISBURY — The Salisbury Post’s Christmas Happiness Fund offers people a unique approach to giving — charity often in memoriam.

Such was the case this past week when James Wilkerson donated to the annual Christmas drive in honor of his late wife, Karen.

The couple were married for 31 years before Karen died in October of 2023.

“She was one of those people that was always really nice to everybody,” James said in a phone call on Monday. “She was really personable and really cared about people. She always gave to different charities around the holidays. It was just the way she was brought up.”

James said that Karen was always eager to help out those that needed it whether it was through St. Jude’s, the Shriners or local food banks, and the time of year that Karen loved the most was Christmas.

“She loved Christmas,” James said. “We liked to travel and go see all the lights. She would start putting up Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving and she put me right out in the yard to decorate it.”

James lamented spending another holiday season without Karen.

“Christmas just isn’t the same to me anymore,” he said.

James met Karen in Seneca, South Carolina. He was working for Duke Energy at the time. Karen and her mother had just moved to be closer to her mother’s side of the family after the death of her father.

“I was doing nuclear outages,” James said. “There is a nuclear power plant right outside Seneca. I met her there. I had a female friend that introduced us. We hit it off. We dated for about a year and then, got married.”

James, who had children from a previous marriage, was unsure of how that proposal would go.

“I am just marrying you, but you are marrying a family,” he told Karen. “When we got married, she fell right in with my two kids.”

The match proved seamless and after they were wed, they found a house just outside of Faith.

“We were there ever since,” James said.

Throughout those years, James said that Karen had a unique ability that he had never seen before meeting her or since she’s passed. He described it as a “clairvoyance.”

“We used to listen to Casey Kasem play music every week,” James said.

On Sunday mornings, when the couple would have their coffee, Karen had an uncanny ability to tell what the No. 1 song was going to be that played and what year if was from.

“For whatever reason that came to her on Saturday night,” James said. “She never missed it.”

James would jokingly ask her to try to come up with something a little more financially lucrative.

“You’re so good at this, you need to lay down at night and concentrate on lottery numbers,” James said. “She said, ‘I tried, but it ain’t something I am supposed to do.’”

Karen’s extra sensory perception was not contained exclusively to Sunday morning tunes however. Her mother had lived with them for a while before she died and according to James, Karen could detect when her mother was around. He confirmed her accounts at times, looking out and seeing their porch swing rocking despite there being no wind. Other times, lights would come on in the house, when they were certain they were off before going to bed.

It might be a little quieter around the house this Christmas, but James is warmed by the precious memories he was able to make with Karen before she died.

“I was a lucky man,” he said.

Donations can be dropped off at the Salisbury Post’s office at 131 W. Innes Street or by mail at Christmas Happiness Fund ℅ Salisbury Post, P.O. Box 4639 Salisbury, NC 28145. Cash and checks are accepted, but the Salisbury Post cannot accept credit or debit card donations.

The current running total for the Christmas Happiness Fund is Total $26,993.

Recent contributions include:

• In memory of Harry, Wesley, Lucy, Squirt, Gizmo, Stinker, Tiger, Molly, Lily and Brownie and in honor of Tricia on her birthday, by Benny and John — $100

• In loving memory of my Mom Alice Cohen Waddell, by Rob Waddell — $50

• In memory of Classmates of BHS 1971 who have passed, by BHS class of 1971 “Ladies Who Lunch” — $210

• In honor of Brownie Fisher SS Class at St. Luke’s Church — $50

• In memory of M D McKnight, by Mary Ann McKnight — $100

• To honor our children, spouses and grandchildren to help others, by Tom and Rochelle Bost — $250

• In memory of Howard Goodman, my husband, by Virginia Goodman — $200

• In loving memory of our sisters, Marla Blake and Vicky Buchanan, by The Laureate Alpha Pi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi — $100

• In memory of our parents, by Larry and Sandra McKenzie — $400

• In honor of Rochelle Bost and Kay McCartney, by Dinah Carpenter — $25

• In memory of Jimmy and in honor of Gerry, by Hen and John — $100

• Kevin Dennis — $200

• Delta Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc — $500

• In honor of teachers at Overton, Knox and Salisbury High, by Hannah and Anne Claire — $200

• In memory of Justin Monroe, our sweet Uncle and friend and our sweet Paw-Paw, Eddie Monroe by Caroline and Rob Monroe and Abby and Corbin Smith — $40

• In honor of our Sunday school teacher Larry Clodfelter by Providence UMC Adult Sunday School Class — $200

• In memory of Grady Howard, by Barbara Howard — $100

• In memory of my parents, Gene and Betty Sunding and by brother Tim Sunding, by Richard Sunding — $300

• In memory of Butler, Dorothy and John Weddington and in honor of Jane, Gail, Alice and families, by Sue — $100

• In honor of our children and grandchildren, by Bill and Toni Kenerly — $100

• In memory of Meredith Hylton, by Bill and Nancy Hylton — $50

• In memory of our parents, siblings, brother and sister-in-laws and other family members, by Vernon and Cheryl Bernhardt — $300

• In memory of my sweet sister, Barbara Kilby Love you, Brenda — $100

• In memory of our friends and co-workers of Norman’s of Salisbury and other friends we have lost, by Pocita and Swicy — $20

• In honor of our family and friends and in memory of our parents, Harry and Irene Rinehardt, Terry and Mary Ann Sifford and in lieu of Christmas cards, by Tim and Janie Sifford — $100

• In honor of Mot Arey, Nancy Lippard and Barbara Waggoner, by Dinah Carpenter — $25

• In memory of Irvin and Melba Parnell, by Ginny P. Mabey and Andy Parnell — $175

• In memory of Dimp and Myrtice Roberts, by Ginny P. Mabey and Andy Parnell — $175

• In honor of Dr. Sadie Mussler, Jane Walters, Cheryl Keene, Jamie Webb and Diane Pullium. An amazing team of hearing healthcare providers, by Dr. Lorin S. Oden, Hearing Solutions of North Carolina — $500