Kirkwood Funeral Home

MALTA-Walter G. Wilke, 92, retired section foreman for the Great Northern Railroad died Tuesday, July 20, at the Phillips County Hospital of natural causes.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M., Saturday, July 24, at the Malta Lutheran Church. Visitation will be Friday at the Kirkwood Memorial Chapel in Malta. Memorials may be made to the Country Home in Malta. Interment will be in the Malta Cemetery. Kirkwood Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left at www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com. 

Survivors include his daughters, Linda (Dennis) Lundman of Belgrade, Donna (Ron ) Miller, Sandy (Bob) Laursen both of Havre; brothers-in-law, Adolph (June) Eklund of Saco, George (Shirley) Eklund of Malta; sisters-in-law, Mary Eklund of Saco, Hilda Wilke of Malta; 9 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannette; parents; brothers, Albert Wilke, Henry Wilke; sister, Bertha Halverson.

Walter was born February 27, 1918 in Dodson, the son of William C and Otelia E. (Kreger) Wilke. He was raised and educated in Dodson and helped his parents on the home place. He worked on the Dodson overpass with the WPA and was the first person to cross over; and was the last person to cross over it before it was removed in 2008. He married Jeannette Eklund in Havre on May 29, 1941. His job with the Great Northern Railroad took them all over the Hi-Line of Montana. They settled in Malta where he became the Section Foreman and was overseeing the many work crews. 

Walter enjoyed going to coffee with his friends, two or more times daily, to visit about everything and anything that was going on. His special joy was his grandchildren. Walter was a loyal Mustang Basketball fan and would always listen to the games on the radio. He loved to play cards; pinochle, canasta, and rummy-o. At the Country Home he was good at horse shoes.