Phillip C. Wilke

The Lord called Philip Charles Wilke home for eternity while he was peacefully sleeping on the morning of October 14, 2018. He was 74 years old.

Phil was raised in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and attended the University of WI - Stout. He moved with his family to New Jersey, married and had two children. He drove a school bus for his father-in-law‘s company during the day and worked second shift until midnight for Goodyear Tire Company for many years, but was drawn to serve his community. He became a member of Monmouth Junction Fire Department and First Aid Squad and eventually returned to Wisconsin to pursue a career in law enforcement. He studied, trained and became a police officer in 2 other towns before becoming the very first correctional officer at Walworth County Sheriff’s Department in 1978.

Phil did become a deputy at one time when the department was in need, but later returned to Corrections where he said he “belonged”. Phil believed in God and treating people fairly, as an officer, as well as, personally, throughout his life. He proudly served for 30 years at the Sheriff’s Department, even throughout his battle with brain cancer, before retiring in 2008. Phil was a “ do it yourself”, but “ if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kind of guy. He definitely preferred the simple life and looked forward to the change of seasons each year.

He was an avid outdoorsman throughout his life, camping, hunting, fishing and boating at Geneva Lake, Lake Hopatcong and the Jersey Shore. He loved the water and spent many hours on frozen lakes and at the beach and boardwalk watching the ocean waves. He enjoyed grilling everything from his catch of the day to rabbit on his rotisserie, but never missed the local fish fry on Friday. He grew his own vegetables and baked a sweet homemade rhubarb pie. Phil was a huge fan of the Badgers and Packers (“naturally”). He loved everything Chevy, especially an Impala, he owned as a young man and then tracked down to buy yet once again later in life.

Phillip Charles Wilke was predeceased by his youngest daughter, Teresa Sue, his parents, Charlotte Edith (Garloff) & father Clarence Herbert Edgar Wilke, and sister, Jill (Swick) Quarles. He is survived by, and dearly loved and missed, by his daughter & son-in-law, Pamela & John Kessler and grandsons, Shawn Michael & Patrick, his sister & brother-in-law, Janice & Arthur Lyle, an adored niece, 6 nephews and many great nieces & nephews.

And as Phil would quite often say,

“And that's all I have to say about that".

A funeral procession will be on Friday, October 25, 2024 leaving at 12:55pm from the Lazarczyk Family Funeral Home (515 Center Street, Lake Geneva, WI) to Oak Hill Cemetery where an inurnment of his remains will be laid to rest at 1 p.m. Please arive to the funeral home at 12:45p.m.

Lazarczyk Family Funeral Home of Lake Geneva, WI is proudly serving the family.