Ed Wilkes (1931-1998) was a radio personality known as “Big Ed”, from Lubbock.
Edwin “Big Ed” Wilkes, was born in Logan County, Arkansas, and moved to Lubbock in 1942, where he attended Lubbock High School and Texas Tech University. After graduating with a degree in agricultural economics, Wilkes taught vocational agriculture in Wichita Falls and worked for the National Peat Moss Company. In 1962, he married visual artist, Marsha Dowdy, and started his job as a farm broadcaster on Lubbock Radio KFYO (AM). Holding that position until 1979, Wilkes bought and ran his own radio station KRLB until 1987, when his health problems began to interfere with his work. Eventually, Wilkes bought back KRLB (now KRFE) and continued to operate and host until he passed in 1998. Outside of the radio, “Big Ed” had a big heart, helping found Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, an orphanage in the Panhandle.
Ed Wilkes was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in 1999.
