He was born Nov. 6, 1939, in Cambridge the son of the late George and Grace (Luddy) Wilkie.
Mr. Wilkie was a 1958 graduate of Cambridge Central School and enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was part of the Mercury Astronauts recovery team. He was discharged with the rank of Second Class Petty Officer.
Mr.. Wilkie started his insurance career in 1963 with Metropolitan Life as an agent in Cambridge. He was promoted to sales manager in 1966 and transferred to Troy, New York. In June 1979, Mr. Wilkie was transferred to Rochester, New York with Met Life group. In 1981, he was promoted to Territorial Sales Director for all of New York. In 1994, Mr. Wilkie was transferred to Albany and became responsible for New York States employees insurance programs.
In 1996, he retired and became a partner with Travers O’Keefe. In March 2001, the firm became Wilkie & Associates. In 2005, Wilkie & Associates became Green Mountamn Benefits, Inc. in which he was the owner and president.
Mr. Wilkie graduated from the American College, Bryn Maw, PA in 1974 with the designation of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). He was a registered representative of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a licensed property and casualty broker and was a graduate of Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC).
Mr. Wilkie was very active having served as president of Association for Retarded Citizens; chairman of the Rensselaer County Mental Health Board; was a board member of the Rensselaer Chamber of Commerce; a board member of the Rensselaer County Historical Society; past President of the Cambridge Hotel Group; board member of the Cambridge Valley Chamber of Commerce; past Commander of the Captain Maxson Post No. 634 American Legion and past president of the Approach and Beyond Foundation.
Mr. Wilkie had many interests which include his family, golfing, hunting, gardening, Cambridge football, being outdoors, horses and helping people when he was able to.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, George Daniel “Butch” Wilkie.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia McGrath Wilkie; his children, Kelley (Joseph) McGowan of Sleepy Hollow and David P. Wilkie of Troy; a brother, Douglas (Colleen) Wilkie of Troy; and a sister, Dianne (Sue Kelleher) Wilkie of Bonita, California; a sister-in-law, Mary Jane Wilkie of Hoosick Falls. He is also survived by his two grandchildren, Ryan and Kailyn McGowan and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Ackley, Ross & Gariepy Funeral Home, 73 W. Main St., Cambridge. A funeral service will begin at the conclusion of the calling hours at 1 p.m.
Interment with military honors will be at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Cambridge.
The family strongly suggest that memorial contributions be made to the Rensselaer Association for Retarded Citizens, 79 102nd St., Troy, NY 12180.
To offer online condolences, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com.