Bettina "Tina" M. Wilke

Bettina (Tina) Marian Wilke passed into eternal rest on May 29 at her home in Leawood, KS at age 79. . A Celebration of Life service will be at 7pm, Wednesday, August 26 at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Rd., KCMO. Family will greet friends immediately following. Face masks are required and social distancing will take place. The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend. Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Friends of the Overland Park Arboretum where a memorial has been established in Tina’s name in the Monet Garden.

Tina was born August 19, 1940 in Lowell, MA to Arthur G. and Bettina (Bruce) Smith. Tina is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Bruce Smith.

As a child, the family lived in Nahant, MA, a small island community near Boston. When in high school, Tina’s family moved to Webster Groves, MO. Tina, her parents, her sister Barbara and brother Bruce enjoyed the outdoors traveling, camping and hiking throughout North America. Upon graduation from high school, she entered William Woods College, in Fulton, MO utilizing a Hallmark Corp. scholarship which was awarded to her for artistic achievements. She worked for Hallmark following graduation.

Tina and Wayne H. Wilke met in Fulton where he was a student at Westminster College and they were married on August 26, 1961. Following marriage, they lived in Lawrence, KS where her husband completed his post-graduation studies. It was in Lawrence that Tina gave birth to her first child, daughter Robin. They then moved to Wilmington, DE where Tina gave birth to son Jonathan. They moved back to Kansas in 1966 and raised their family in Overland Park. Here, she was active in a wide range of activities including Nall Hills Country Club, Girl Scout Leadership, tennis, sail boat racing, gardening, family traveling and painting.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years; her daughter Robin Harding and her husband Bill Harding of Lenexa, KS; her son Jonathan Wilke and his wife Nicole Ramirez of Lawrence, KS; by 5 grandchildren, Colby, Taylor and Samuel Harding and Arianna and Veronica Wilke; three great grandchildren and her sister Barbara Urso and her husband, Bob Urso of Bellingham, WA. And, by her pet Lab, Georgie.

Tina was an accomplished artist painting primarily landscapes in oil, pastel and water colors. Tina exhibited in numerous juried art shows throughout the USA. Tina was a member of the Greater Kansas City Art Assoc.; Images II, Inc.; MidAmerican Pastel Society; Pastel Society of the West Coast; Degas Pastel Society as well as others. She was especially inspired by her love of the outdoors and the many moods of nature as she drew from her extensive travels throughout North America and many foreign countries. She and her art “buddies” enjoyed their many painting outings, especially those to the Rockies and to Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.

Tina loved the Southwest where she and Wayne had a seasonal home in Payson and then in Rio Verde, AZ. While there, she loved collecting Native American art, rugs and pottery as well as painting regional scenery. She loved hiking the many and varied trails in the Southwest mountains and parks. To memorialize this love, a trail in The McDowell Mountain Regional Park, AZ has been adopted in her name.

Tina’s family would like to thank the organizations and their employees that helped her during her long illness, Always There Health Care and Ascend Hospice. A special thanks to her many art and Nall Hills Country Club friends who helped her through her difficult time.