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Bonnie Kay Wilke

Bonnie Kay Wiled

Bonnie Kay Wilke, age 85, died on February 9, 2017 at her home in Santa Barbara, California. Bonnie passed peacefully and was attended by her four closest family members.

Bonnie is survived by her devoted husband of 58 years Jack Wilke whom she met on a train going to Sun Valley for a ski trip. It was love at first sight. She is also survived by her two loving and devoted children Jim Wilke and Andi Ferguson; her son in law Bob Ferguson and her niece Terry Weston.

Bonnie lived in Aspen for 14 years from 2001 to 2015. Her primary reason for moving to Aspen was to be near her two grandchildren, Harry and Calli Ferguson. She loved watching her grandchildren grow up, taking them to Hawaii every summer, and attending their school functions. Bonnie greatly enjoyed the outdoors, and spent her time hiking, cross country skiing, bike riding and walking her beloved yellow lab Honey. You could often see her walking her dog through the Aspen Meadows and family cat Spice would follow.

Bonnie was an avid bridge player for more than 65 years, primarily a duplicate competitor. While living in Aspen, she traveled across the country to attend tournaments, and in 2012, she attained her “Life Masters” status.

Locally, Bonnie played bridge frequently with her friends, and she was an enthusiastic supporter of the Aspen Film Fest.


Bonnie was born on May 27, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to her move to Aspen, Bonnie lived in the greater Los Angeles area, where she was a devoted mother and wife. After her children went off to college, Bonnie traveled extensively and she served as a docent at the LA County Art Museum for more than 20 years. Bonnie’s generous heart and joyful spirit will be missed.