Julia Kitchens Wilke, 83, of Winfield, passed away Feb. 25, 2016, in Houston, Texas, following a stroke suffered during major surgery.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church of Winfield.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Miles Funeral Service. The family will be present from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern College, 100 College Ave., Winfield.
Online condolences may be made at www.milesfuneralservice.com.
Julia was born on July 28, 1932, in Texarkana, Texas, the daughter of Chester Kitchens, M.D., and wife Edith. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1953.
Julia married Richard (Dick) B. Wilke on June 20, 1953, in Texarkana, Ark. The couple moved to New Haven, Conn., where Julia taught elementary school and Dick studied at Yale University Divinity School. She joined her husband in his native Kansas to begin his United Methodist ministry that took them to pastorates in Scandia, Salina, Winfield and Wichita. She was an active church volunteer and leader, singing in choirs and teaching both children's and adult Sunday school classes.
In 1984, Julia and Dick moved to Little Rock, Ark., where Dick served as bishop for 12 years. During that time, they co-wrote the Disciple Bible Study series, a curriculum that has been completed by millions around the world since its introduction in 1986.
After retiring in 1996, Julia and Dick moved to Winfield, where Dick has served as bishop in residence at Southwestern College. In 2003, the college named its Institute for Discipleship in their honor. Julia was a member of PEO, and First UMC's Kum-N-E-Wa Sunday school class and Wednesday morning Bible study.
Survivors include her husband, Richard B. Wilke, Winfield; son Steve Wilke and wife Beth, Winfield, and children Krista (Ranby), Katie (Johnson), Joel and Julie; son Paul Wilke and wife Janelle, Derby, and children Michelle and Matthew; daughter Susan Fuquay and husband Rob, Indianapolis, Ind., and children Julie, Sarah and Anna; daughter Sarah Wilke and spouse Nancy Kruh, Nashville, Tenn.; sister Elizabeth Gordon, Hackettstown, N.J.; six great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Beverly Dockhorn and husband Robert; and niece Kate Gordon and husband Steve Cox.