- Date Of Birth: July 9, 1929
- Date Of Death: December 10, 2019
- State: Illinois
Mr. Wilke was born July 9, 1929 in LaSalle to Chris and Josephine (Gende) Wilke. He served in the U.S. Army as an aviation engineer, stationed in Alaska, during the Korean Conflict. He married Catherine Bansberg on July 4, 1953 at St. Joseph’s Church in Peru. After serving his country he worked as a Peru police officer for 21 years and a bricklayer for 50 years. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Church, Peru, Peru American Legion Post 275, Bricklayer’s Union Local No. 6, Fish-N-Fun and the Peru Rescue Squad. He was past commander of the South Shore Boat Club in Peru for eight years and was the firing squad commander for the Peru Veteran’s Memorial Group for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine; his son, August F. (Chris) Wilke of Peru; his daughter, Kristine (Jim) Lohmar of Sandwich; six grandchildren, Amber, Alec, Laken, August, Allesyn and Wes; one great- granddaughter, Olive and a sister in-law, Bernadette Wilke of Peru.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, William Wilke.
Pallbearers will be his grandsons and the members of the Peru Veteran’s Memorial Group.
