Helen C. Zilke

Helen C. Zilke, 98, of Baroda died Saturday October 29, 2011 at the Whitcomb Towers in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church of Sawyer with Rev. Roberto A. Becerra and Rev. Robert F. Burke, EM presiding. Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery in Bridgman. Visitation will be held one hour prior at the church. Memorials in Helen’s honor may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 5791 Sawyer Road, Sawyer MI 49125. Those wishing to share a memory or send a condolence online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Helen was born on March 31, 1913 in Galien Michigan to John and Ernestine (Schmidt) Burke. She married Rudolph (Rudy) Zilke on April 20, 1935 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sawyer. They had celebrated 69 years of marriage. Together they owned and operated Zilke Brothers Nursery until retirement in 1975 and also owners of Shoreham Restaurant in St. Joseph. After ‘retirement” in 1975, she had time to fill everyone’s kitchen with her garden harvests. Rudy and Helen traveled and experienced the world together visiting every continent. She was the oldest member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sawyer. Helen is survived by her son Roger (Mary Anne) Zilke of Baroda, her sister Gustie Stotler; three grandchildren—Lee (Sara) Gast, Lisa (Chris) Connell, and Lance Gast; five step-grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; 14 step-great grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews and a special friend Elaine Neugebauer. She was preceded in death by her husband Rudy on September 7, 2006, a daughter Karen Gast in 1997, her parents, 5 brothers and 2 sisters.