James C. Wilke, 71

Jim Wilke passed away at his home in Fortine on Tuesday evening, Aug. 10, 2010, from cancer. He was born Feb. 27, 1939, in Poplar to Clarence and Isabelle (Baker) Wilke on the family farm. He graduated from Poplar High School in 1957. After high school he served in the Army Reserves and ranched with his father. He traveled west when a school friend called from Hot Springs regarding a job offer, Jim said, I ll be there Monday morning, and spent that winter feeding cattle with a bobsled and team and living in a remote cabin. In the spring, Jim asked the rancher why he hired him sight unseen, and the rancher replied that anyone who would travel 500 miles for a job must be serious about working. He later worked for Dean Brown s cattle and horse ranch in Niarada. He married Toni Mullen who lived at nearby ranch and they later divorced. His work for Dean took him farther north to the Tobacco Valley area where he continued to live for over 50 years. In Eureka, he worked for Dorothy and Donald McFadyean (Mac s Herefords) for years. He married Debra Conroy in 1974 and they had one daughter, Carrie. They divorced in the early 80s, but remained friends. His work history encompassed a variety of ranching, logging and carpentry activities. He raised his own cattle and horses. He worked at the Flathead Mine for a stint, worked on Canadian drilling rigs, and was a millwright at a Eureka lumber mill. He worked for a packer, running a pack string of nine horses hauling supplies to build a fire lookout in the Libby area. He built houses, did custom butchering, started colts, shoed horses, and put up many acres of hay. In more recent years he helped maintain the Glen Lake irrigation ditch. Jim had a passion for woodworking, tinkering, horses, dogs and kids. He was wise in the ways of nature. He loved helping friends and neighbors with projects; anything from digging a basement to field dressing an elk. He was especially fond of giving sleigh or wagon rides with a team of horses. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Eileen, and her husband, Kenny McNees. He is survived by his daughter, Carrie, and Brian Nelson; grandson, Owen Nelson, of Kalispell; and siblings, Agnes and Jim McKenzie of Converse, Texas, John and fiancee C.J. of Amarillo, Texas, George and Cindie Wilke of Spokane, and Helen and Gary Tucker of Angel Fire, N.M.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He leaves behind many longtime friends and was known to be a character. He was a regular at Stockman s and later proud of his 17 years of sobriety. He was telephone shy, old tractor savvy, and a good cow hand. Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. today, Aug. 14, at the Eureka cemetery. A celebration of life gathering will follow at the Eureka VFW Club. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Eureka.