Elmer Milton Wilke

"Elmer Milton Wilke, 88, of Midland, returned home to his Heavenly Father on Saturday, August 8, 2009 at Tendercare of Midland. Elmer was born Feb. 3, 1921, in Sheboygan Wisconsin, oldest son of the late Marvin and Loretta Wilke. Elmer lived in Sheboygan as a child, and worked at the Garton Toy Company, until he enlisted in the Army in 1942. As a Sergeant in the Army Air Force he served at Grand Island, Nebraska and at San Juan, Puerto Rico as a photographic technician. Following his discharge from military service in 1946, he returned home to Sheboygan Wisconsin, where he met Myrtle Miller, a schoolteacher from Oshkosh Wisconsin. Myrtle and Elmer were married on August 6, 1949. Following their marriage, they moved to Madison Wisconsin, where he studied chemistry at the University of Wisconsin. They moved to Midland Michigan in 1951, where Elmer was employed as an analytical chemist by the Dow Chemical Company. Elmer's hobbies included a continuing interest in photography, particularly nature photography, and along with Myrtle he was active in the Audubon Society, Midland Nature Club and Chippewa Nature Center. After 32 years with Dow Chemical, Elmer retired in 1983 and began an enjoyable retirement, traveling annually to view the spring flowers and migrating birds in southern Arizona, and spending time with his 11 grandchildren. Myrtle and Elmer are parents of two children, Donald L. Wilke of Mason, Ohio and Kathy Holden of Midland, Michigan.



Elmer is preceded in death by Myrtle, his wife of 59 years, his brother Donald C. Wilke, and his parents Marvin and Loretta Wilke. Elmer is survived by his children Donald (LaDeana) Wilke of Mason, OH and Kathy (Bruce) Holden of Midland Michigan, 11 grandchildren and 3 greatgrandchildren.



Funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church (3701 Jefferson, Midland) at 11:00am Thursday August 13, 2009. Visitation will be held at 10:00am Thursday at Trinity Lutheran. Internment will be in Midland Memorial Gardens. Those planning an expression of sympathy may consider memorials to the Chippewa Nature Center.



The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of Colonial Villa and Tendercare of Midland who provided kind and loving care for both Elmer and Myrtle over the past several years of declining health."