Napoleon Anthony Wilkie

A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, 30 December, 2014 at 11:30 a.m., All Saints Catholic Church in Puyallup, WA, with Father Michael Radermacher officiating the mass. Visitation will be Monday, December 29, 2014 at the Powers Funeral Home in Puyallup, WA from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Interment will be at St. John Cemetery in St. John, ND.

Napoleon, (Junior or Tony to his friends) was born on April 15, 1935, in St. John, ND, the youngest child of Napoleon 1883 – 1947 and Clemence (LaViolette) Wilkie 1895 - 1988. Junior attended St. John Public School where he was a stand-out basketball player graduating in 1954. He originally enlisted in the Army Guard but quickly switched to the Air Force in 1955, where he worked as an aircraft crew chief, a jet engine maintenance supervisor, and later in his career as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. After serving his country honorably for more than 21 years, Tony retired in 1975 from the Air Force. After his retirement from the military he worked for the Boeing Company in Seattle, WA, permanently retiring in 1990. Tony was a long-time advocate and passionate promoter of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), achieving 52 years of sobriety. Wherever he traveled throughout the remainder of his life he sought out and attended local AA meetings where he met and encouraged others to start over and live a clean and sober life.

A devoted husband for more the 57 years, he married the former Shirley Sherlock of Helena, MT, on 23 April 1957. After retirement Tony and Shirley became “Snowbirds” and traveled extensively throughout the country to meet friends and family.

Tony is survived by his wife Shirley, and four children Larry (Susan) of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Napoleon (Violet) of Tacoma, WA, Katherine (Bill) of London, OH, and Chris (Dawn) of Puyallup, WA, 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Junior was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Stephen, Leo, and sisters Leona Tucknott, MaryAnn Boyer, and Amelia Wendlick.