Bom-Wrapper

The Memorial Candle Program has been designed to help offset the costs associated with the hosting this Tribute Website in perpetuity. Through the lighting of a memorial candle, your thoughtful gesture will be recorded in the Book of Memories and the proceeds will go directly towards helping ensure that the family and friends of Fr. William Wilkie can continue to memorialize, re-visit, interact with each other and enhance this tribute for future generations.

Thank you.

Cancel
Select Candle
Fr. William Wilkie
In Memory of
Fr. William E
Wilkie
1930 - 2017
Click above to light a memorial candle.

The lighting of a Memorial Candle not only provides a gesture of sympathy and support to the immediate family during their time of need but also provides the gift of extending the Book of Memories for future generations.

A Marshall County Farm Boy

Bill Wilkie, the second son of Frank and Pearl Stebbins Wilkie, was born and raised on a Marshall County farm located just a few miles south of Marshalltown, Iowa.  He always held a deep love for this place and this part of his life.  At the tender age of four he was enrolled in the nearby country school, where he received a good basic education.   At 16 years old he graduated from St. Mary's High School, Marshalltown,  with the class of 1946.

In the springtime of 1940 the Jake Edel family from the Haverhill, IA community moved in to the farmplace across the road from the Wilkies.  It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two families.  Jim, Bill, Kaye and John were of the same ages of the Edel children, and they enjoyed several happy years as they grew into adulthood.  My late husband, Matt, and Bill were the same age.  In 1953 Matt and I were married and started farming.  In 1954, we attended Bill's ordination into the priesthood, and thus began his career as a priest and a scholar.

Fr. Bill visited his family and friends here in Marshalltown many times through the years, and kept us up to date on his 'adventures'.  We were privileged to participate in the celebration of his 50th year ordination anniversary, held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Haverhill.  Bill felt a special connection to the Haverhill community, as his forbear, Christian Wilkie, was an early settler in that area.

Frank and Pearl Wilkie were a special part of Fr. Bill's life.  Frank was a man of the soil, a clever and entertaining fellow, and Pearl was a wonderful neighbor and friend to many.  She was a convert to Catholicism, an intelligent person with a  witty personality.

So we say 'farewell' to a dear friend....May he rest in God's loving care.

Posted by Helene Edel
Wednesday May 24, 2017 at 2:15 pm
Prev - Story 1 of 1 - Next
Recently Shared Condolences
Recently Shared Stories
Recently Shared Photos
Share by: