Thomas Henry Wilke, 93, of Monona, Iowa passed away Friday, March 29, 2024, at Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Tom was born on June 16, 1930, in St. Olaf, Iowa to Elmer and Lenora (Embretson) Wilke. He had a lively and active childhood alongside his brother Warren and their many relatives living within one block of each other in their hometown. Tom attended grade school in a one-room school in St. Olaf until eighth grade, after which he chose to attend Monona High School to participate in sports, band, and theater.
In Fall 1947 and Spring 1948, Tom was an outfielder and pitcher on back-to-back high school state championship baseball teams, beating Davenport in the Spring game. He also excelled in basketball. After graduation in 1948, he was offered a basketball scholarship to Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now known as ISU), where he played for one season before transferring to Iowa Teacher’s College (now known as UNI). Tom played basketball on scholarship for the Panthers for three years while earning his teaching degree.
After graduation, Tom took a summer job with the Forest Service in the Rocky Mountains. After a brief return to Iowa, he decided to move to Colorado to work as a teacher, coach, and drivers ed instructor. He was quite fond of his time in the mountains but felt called to return to his family in northeast Iowa in the early 1950s and took a job in Lime Springs as a high school teacher and girls’ basketball coach.
Shortly after moving back to Iowa, Tom attended his first dance at the Inwood Ballroom Dance Hall in Spillville, Iowa where he saw Mary Jo Iverson across the room. As Tom told it, with the help of his friend, who recognized someone in her group, Tom introduced himself and knew she was something special. Soon after, the two began their courtship and were married on June 12, 1955, one week after her college graduation. Their dance through life bridged over 66 years together and was a love story for the ages. To this long and loving union, four children were born: Susan, David, Steven, and Daniel.
In 1957, Tom decided to join the family business as the 4th generation owner of Wilke’s, Iowa’s oldest family-owned grocery store. While he was well known for his pivotal role in the family business, he always juggled multiple jobs spending time as a life insurance salesman with Northwestern Mutual Life and as owner and partner in several businesses supporting his wife and children’s passions and pursuits, including Dutch’s restaurant and gift shop, several Hallmark stores, Subway chains, and a Duds ‘n Suds Laundromat. With forethought for the future, Tom also purchased 160 acres of land in Allamakee County and planted trees for timber. Witnessing the trees continue to grow for the past 50 years, and knowing his family would be taking care of the land he invested in so long ago, brought a smile to his face.
Tom’s enthusiasm for family history was shared with loved ones through stories and photos until the very end. He shared a name with his maternal and paternal grandfathers – Henry Wilke and Henry Embertson, and the name Thomas has been passed on to a son, two grandsons, and a great-grandson. As a proud Norwegian, Tom was not one to stray from tradition, and he ate his favorite Norwegian meal every Christmas Eve for 93 years – salted cod, creamed celery, mashed potatoes, lefse, and rømmegrøt. He shared his love of traditions with his family and many continue to be carried on today.
When not working, Tom enjoyed traveling around the world for business trips and vacations with his family, with memorable trips to Germany, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and the Rose Bowl of 1982. While traveling, he loved playing new golf courses but found the most peace and enjoyment at the Tri-City Golf Club in Luana, Iowa, where he was a member for over 70 years.
Other enjoyments in Tom’s life included ski trips with his kids, vacations to Hayward, Wisconsin, piloting his own airplane for business trips and other adventures, bridge club with neighbors and friends, gardening and picking flowers, cheering on the MFL MarMac Bulldogs, Iowa Hawkeyes, and Iowa State Cyclones, and supporting Luther College, where his wife and four children all earned their degrees. Later in life, he found enjoyment in visiting residents at Garden View where he played bingo and won candy for his great-grandchildren.
Tom’s steadfast involvement in the community, church, and support of local businesses did not go unnoticed, and he was honored at Monona Hay Days with the role of Grand Marshall and as Monona German Fest King and Queen alongside Mary Jo.
The biggest fan and loudest champion for his family, Tom claimed he “heard every note” at recitals and concerts, and his voice was well-known in the bleachers at countless sporting events. He soaked up every holiday and family celebration full of endless love, laughter, and often music by the piano. Tom was a family man, and he and Mary Jo created a warm and welcoming home for all. He had a special way of making everyone feel like his favorite. Tom’s dry sense of humor, love for his daily 4 pm herring and cheese curds snack, and tender heart will be deeply missed. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, cherished father-in-law, and beloved uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend.
As a strong man of faith, Tom would often reflect on his baptism and confirmation at Norway Lutheran Church built on land donated by his great-great-grandfather, an immigrant from Norway, and where his family continues to attend, as well as his commitment to Faith Lutheran Church in Monona. He was a man of his word and honored his wedding vows until the very end as he took care of his beloved wife, Mary Jo, in the home they built and shared their life together until her passing in 2021. The joy and excitement he expressed about being reunited with his family and friends in Heaven as he spends eternity with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was palpable, and his prayers for that glorious reunion were poignantly answered on Good Friday.
Tom will be deeply missed and forever loved by his sons David (Becky), Steven (Ellen), Daniel (Amy), grandchildren Sarah (Mike) Sanderson, Jessica, Jacob (Jessica), Kristen Wilke (Keith Searcy), Michael (Bridget Lee), Sophia Wilke (Lucas Dronzek), Emily Cooper, and Alex Dale (Isabel Moulton), great-grandchildren Greyson Sanderson, Charlotte, Gretchen, and Harrison Wilke, sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, and many extended family members and friends.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Lenora; brother Warren; beloved daughter Susan; the love of his life, wife Mary Jo; in-laws, a nephew, and many extended family members and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Tri-City Golf Club for course enhancements, the Wilke/Iverson Scholarship at Luther College, or Faith Lutheran Church in Monona.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Monona, Iowa. There will also be a one-hour visitation before services at the church on Thursday.
Memorial Service will be at 2:00 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at Norway Lutheran Church in St. Olaf, Iowa, with Rev. Marshall Hahn as the officiant.
Inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Monona, Iowa next to his beloved wife and daughter.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Monona, Iowa is assisting the family with services.