Private family funeral services for Walter “Jim” or “Pike” Hartke, 89, of Wood Lake, will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. Interment will follow the service at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery. The Sunset Funeral & Cremation Association in Echo is handling the arrangements.
Walter Arthur Hartke was born on April 7, 1931, in Wood Lake, MN, to William and Emma (Lehrke) Hartke. Walter was baptized and confirmed at St John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake, and he graduated from Granite Falls High School. One of fourteen children, Walter helped on the farm while growing up and took over the family farm in the early 1950s. On May 10, 1957, he was united in marriage to Jeanetta Kolander at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Vesta. Walter and Jeanetta lived on their Wood Lake farm since 1957. Walter’s love was farming, his garden, watching the MN Vikings, and of course fishing. He enjoyed yearly Canadian fishing trips for over 40 years. Where do you think “Pike” comes from? He enjoyed playing cards, especially whist and won many tournaments in his day. Most importantly, his grandchildren were the light of his life.
Walter died on Sunday, November 1, 2020, at his residence in Wood Lake, surrounded by his loving family.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanetta of 63 years, and by his children, Susan (Mike) Baklarz of Estero, FL, Michael Hartke of Bloomington, James Hartke of Marshall, and Jason (Karen) Hartke of Wood Lake; four grandchildren David (Megan) Christle of Mountain View, CA, and Nikolas, Kaylee, and Jaxon Hartke of Wood Lake; sister Alice; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.. He was preceded in death by his parents and twelve siblings.
