Born in Jersey City, he moved to a farm that raised pigs and grew flowers on Rockland Avenue in New Springville in 1928. In 1961, he moved to Castleton Corners, and settled in Lavallette.
Mr. Wilke served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1941 to 1944.
After the war, he worked as a machinist for Jansen Dairy from 1946 to 1961. He then spent more than 20 years working for Chris’s Flower Shop in West Brighton.
In his leisure time, he enjoyed watching the Mets.
Mr. Wilke attended Trinity Lutheran Church, Stapleton.
His wife, Beatrice, died in 1994.
Surviving are his daughter, Carolyn Birstler; two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Casey-McCallum-Rice South Shore Funeral Home, Great Kills. Arrangements include cremation.
