JoAnn R. Wilke

JoAnn R. Wilke, age 82, of Kearney, passed away on Friday, March 8, 2024 at Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler, AZ. Funeral services will be on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Kearney. Pastor Matt Fowler will officiate and burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday, March 18, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney and also 1 hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday. Memorials are suggested to Make a Wish of Nebraska or Concrete Cares. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney is in charge of arrangements. JoAnn was born on August 4, 1941 in Baltimore, MD to George and Erma (Schmailzl) Watson. She attended and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School in 1959. She married Richard A. Wilke on July 17, 1958 in Lincoln, NE. JoAnn worked for many years as a secretary at numerous places and also as a bank teller at several banks. Her final employment was as a secretary for the family’s construction business, Wilke Contracting. She enjoyed camping, researching family ancestry, traveling and making greeting cards. She also enjoyed Arizona where she spent winters every year since 2001. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Kearney. JoAnn is survived by her sons, Dave Wilke and wife La Nita of Kearney and Mark Wilke and wife Carol of Hot Springs, SD; daughter, Karen Wilke of Kearney; grandchildren, Ed Johnson and wife Maggie of San Francisco, CA, Brock Wilke and wife Jodi of Axtell, Derek Wilke and wife Beth of Kearney, Cole Wilke of Kearney, Carey Altizer of Grand Island, Jesse Johnston of Omaha, Trevor Hibberd of Kearney and Trey Hibberd and his fiancé Catherine May of Kearney; 7 great grandchildren; sister, Diane Watson of Florence, AZ; sisters in law, Phyllis Wilke of Sun Lakes, AZ and Debra and husband Jon VanHoutan of Lincoln; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; granddaughter, Amanda Johnson; brother, George Watson; brother in law and sister in law, Robert and Delores Wilke

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JoAnn R. Wilke

August 4, 1941 - March 8, 2024