Margaret (Downs) Wilke

Margaret (Downs) Wilke, age 93, of Tennyson, WI, was called home to her Lord and Savior on February 16, 2025.  To honor Margaret’s life, a private family service will be held at a later date.  Burial will be in the St. Andrew’s Cemetery in Tennyson, WI.  The Tri-State Cremation Center is humbly serving Margaret’s family.

Margaret was born on October 25, 1931, in Tennyson, WI, a daughter to Arnold and Leona (Muller) Pluemer.  She was a genuinely kind and gentle soul who faithfully carried with her two main priorities throughout her life; faith and family.  Margaret knew from a young age that the Lord had created her to be a loving wife and mother.  She married Raymond J. Downs in 1950, and they started their family together.  After his passing in 1970, she met and married Delbert (Mort) Wilke in 1972.  Margaret took great pride in her family, and just to have them by her side was all the day required to be considered a success.  Her love was endless, and her devotion never wavered.  She played her role so perfectly, and her heart beat continuously with the desire to love and nurture everyone the Lord brought into her care.

Margaret was also a committed and faith-filled woman.  She was an avid reader by default, but her voracious appetite for Scripture was simply never meant to be satisfied.  Margaret had memorized multiple books of the Bible over the years, and she lived her life in an undeniable reflection of the wisdom she had gained through each passing year.  When time allowed, you could occasionally find Margaret practicing her skills with her favorite crochet needles in hand while working on her latest creation, but again, faith and family always came first.  It breaks our hearts to have to say farewell for now to our beloved mother and grandmother, but we thankfully find real peace in the knowledge that she now gets to stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive her crowns after a lifelong journey of service and in that, how can we possibly be sad for her. 

We will miss her dearly, remember her fondly and do our absolute best to carry on all that she taught us moving forward.  Thank you, Mom, for all the love and light you shared so graciously and for being a living example that we can all follow.  We know the Lord will bless and keep you safe in His loving arms until we meet again.  Your faithful life reminds us of the parable in which Jesus said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your Master.”  Matthew 25:23

Those left to cherish the memory of Margaret include,

her nine children,

Jerry Downs, Potosi, WI,

Tom (Jane) Downs, Altoona, IA,

Dennis (Tessi) Downs, Kieler, WI,

Terry (Sandra) Downs, Potosi, WI,

Raye Ann Downs, Dubuque, IA,

Martin (Diane) Downs, Bettendorf, IA,

Sue (John) Almquist, Vancouver, WA,

Carol Jean (Dan) Fry, Collierville, TN,

and Nicole (Mike) Williams, Madison, WI;

her daughter-in-law,

Judy Downs, Dickeyville, WI;

her 34 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren;

her sister,

Dorothy Richard, Platteville, WI;

along with countless extended family, friends, and neighbors.

Margaret was preceded in death by her first husband, Raymond J. Downs; her second husband, Delbert (Mort) Wilke; her son, Kenny Downs; and her siblings, Don (Eleanor ) Pluemer, Lloyd (Millie) Pluemer, Hazel (Francis) Fecht, Parnell (Jane) Pluemer, and Bob Pluemer.

Margaret’s family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Harmony Nursing Home for all their professional and compassionate care.

Online condolences may be shared with Margaret’s family at www.tristatecremationcenter.com