Submitted by: Dan Rich

Henry Wilk Sr.

Aug. 22, 1913 - Aug. 4, 1997

South Bend Tribune 8/6/1997

Henry Wilk, Sr., 83, of St. Joseph, Mich., formerly of South Bend, died Monday afternoon in St. Joseph. Mr. Wilk was born Aug. 22, 1913, in South Bend, to the late Henry and Sophia (Cohan) Wilk.

Surviving are his wife, Velda Warner, and two sons, Henry Wilk Jr. of Osceola and Steven of Mishawaka. Also surviving are two sisters, Bertha Kallewaard and Virginia Mouros of South Bend; five brothers, Cashimer ''Chick'' Wilk, Thaddeus ''Ted'' Wilk, Joseph Wilk and Julius Wilk, all of South Bend, and Bruno ''Ben'' Wilk of Elkhart. Mr. Wilk was also preceded in death by three brothers, Floyd, Stanley and Frank, and one sister, Cecielia Blicharz.

Henry was one of the long line of brothers and sisters who worked for the Studebaker Corporation in South Bend. As a family the Wilks were featured in an advertising role as part of the Studebaker ''Father and Son'' advertising theme. They were the largest family working unit in Studebaker's 111 year corporate history. The remaining group members are Bruno, Thaddeus, Joseph, Cashimer and Julius. Virginia is the only sister remaining in the Wilk family of 12 who were employed by the most famous and long lived of America's Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Welsheimer Funeral Home, 521 N. William St. Burial will be in St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Granger. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Cancer Society.