Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2
Introducing Randy Wilke
You’ve probably already noticed that our introduction for Randy is missing his title. There’s a good reason for that omission. Randy is best known throughout Helena and the surrounding communities as a committed, creative and compassionate Funeral Director however, he is so very much more. Before we tell you a little more about Randy’s personal life and growth, we’ll touch on some of the things he does besides energetically fulfilling his role as Funeral Director at several of the Stevenson & Sons funeral Helena funeral homes:
- Randy cares for the Sunset Memorial Garden Cemetery. He is the person who has been responsible for the many repairs and improvements this year. Many folks have expressed appreciation for Randy’s removal of some unsightly trees as well as the much-improved greenery – a result of the new sprinkler heads and repairs to the system.
- Randy serves as a director at both the Retz Funeral Home & Crematory and the Anderson, Stevenson, Wilke Funeral Homes, where he continues to serve the needs of families throughout the area.
- Randy is an experienced and knowledgeable mentor who unselfishly shares his time and knowledge with morticians who are newly licensed as well as interns who wish to further their careers in funeral service.
Randal D. Wilke was born the middle child of 5 in Lisbon, North Dakota on October 13, 1960, to Harlen and Karen (Carter) Wilke. Randy Graduated from High school in Lisbon, ND in 1978. He then attended Valley City State College, Galveston College and also Commonwealth College of Mortuary Science in Houston, Texas. Randy worked a number of years in Texas prior to coming to Montana in January of 1990. In Texas, he worked for Galveston Embalming Services, Broadway Funeral Home, Malloy and Son’s Funeral Home and J. Levy and Brother’s Funeral Home; all as part-time work, while attending mortuary school. He served his apprenticeship at Joseph Gawler’s Sons Funeral Home in Washington, D.C.
When Randy received his licensure in Texas, he was transferred to Forest Park Lawndale in Houston. In January of 1990, he and his wife moved to Helena where he accepted a position at Retz Funeral Home. Randy remained there until April of 2010, at which time he partnered with Stevenson & Sons. Following a medical issue and the uncertainty of how long he may live, Randy retired in 2016. After some improvements to his health, he started doing some relief work throughout Montana. With his health continuing to improve, he started back to work for Stevenson & Sons in April 2023.
Randy is married to Suzanne, has a stepdaughter, Andrea; a grandson Tex, and a grandson Sawyer, whom he and his wife Sue are raising. The family also has one dog and a number of cats.
He has been a member of many civic groups and organizations including Cribbage groups, two different pool leagues, Pheasants Forever, Walleyes Unlimited, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Masonic Lodge, York Rite and Scottish Rite Bodies, the Algeria Shrine, the Montana Funeral Directors Association, Helena Kiwanis, and two bowling leagues in Helena. He and his wife Sue are members of the Cathedral of St. Helena.
Randy enjoys his family, walks, his animals, fishing (thefishinmortician), gopher hunting as needed, pinochle, and mowing grass and a few other things.
I’ve been very blessed, fortunate and lucky to have been involved with the Stevenson family and their entire group. In the last 33 years, I have zero regret of giving my life to the community of Helena and the surrounding area. I have served and made many friends and associates. So, if Jesus comes tomorrow, I believe I’m ready to go. But – I do hope he lets me hang around for a number more years, for my grandsons, mother and friends who will claim me.
And to conclude our introduction, we present a brief photo album highlighting moments and people in Randy’s Life.
An Outdoor Event Planned by Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services
The staff at Axelson’s took an empty field and turned it into a beautiful Celebration of Life venue for 600 people. The entire process took two full days to setup, and another half a day to take down. It was truly a work of lovely western art – one that was very much appreciated by all who attended this inspiring Celebration of Life. The tables were decorated by a professional and all the photos were taken by Bri Mulvaney, Funeral Director Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services.
Some Veteran’s Day Notices
Who’s eligible for Military Funeral Honors?
- Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
- Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
How to establish veteran eligibility?
Submit the DD Form 214. The DD Form 214 may be obtained by filing a completed Standard Form 180 with:
National Personnel Records Center(NPRC)
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132
The Standard Form 180 may be obtained from: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf
Headstones for Veterans
For complete information and ordering, please visit: Legislative Changes Concerning Eligibility for Headstones, Markers and Medallions – National Cemetery Administration (va.gov)
Why You Should Consider Pre-planning
If you’ve ever wondered about the reasons for pre-planning your funeral arrangements, the following brief video will bring you some clarity. Pre-planning has truly ‘come of age’ over the past few years. Whether you have ever considered pre-planning or not, we highly suggest that you watch this 2-minute video. You may well get the insights you’ve needed to make an informed decision about funeral arrangements. Pre-planning is not for everyone, but it’s surely the most generous choice for most.
SCAM Warning
We are so very sorry that we are compelled to enter the following into our uplifting newsletter, but we believe our obligations to the many communities we serve demand that we post this notice. We have been alerted that scammers are targeting people who have recently experienced the tragedy of a family member’s death. The scammers contact the family member(s) and state that the final funeral payments are due immediately. The scammers claim to work for the funeral home that was mentioned in the mandatory newspaper obituary notifications. They tell the family member(s) that the additional 
amount must be paid immediately to avoid legal action and/or collection agencies. The amounts vary, with the highest amount known so far being $1,000.00. DO NOT CLICK ANY LINKS provided on your computer or smart phone. The scammers will tell you that the link is the fastest and/or easiest ‘fix.’ We are unable to speak for all funeral homes, but none of the Stevenson & Sons family of funeral homes and crematories will handle matters of billing in the discourteous, unprofessional manner mentioned above. If you have any questions about your invoice, please contact us by our published phone number and we will gladly discuss and concerns you may have.
Supporting Others
If you know someone who would benefit from the uplifting messages and support information we provide in these monthly newsletters, they can sign up to receive their own copy here (https://stevensonandsons.com/news/sign-up/). It’s a great way to lend your support to a friend or a family member.
Financial Assistance
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020…
If you lost a loved one due to Covid-19, you may qualify for financial assistance for your family’s funeral expenses. Click here to find out more information.
Recently posted on the FEMA Covid-19 Funeral Assistance page: The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.
Grief Support
Many people do not have the time to locate a proper grief counselor. Others do not live in an area where there are any grief counselors available. And finally, many people are not prepared to pay a professional for grief counseling. Fortunately, the internet provides some solutions for those who wish to seek grief counseling or to interact with groups of people who are also coping with grief. Many such services exist, as do professional counselors who will assist people privately on line, hence eliminating the need for travel. Not all services are the same, nor are all chat rooms/groups. You should research what you are interested in and follow-up on the leads you believe will be most helpful to your personal situation until you locate exactly what works best for you. In your search engine look for terms like “grief chat rooms” “bereavement support groups” “professional grief counseling” or “grief management.” Good research is the path to successfully linking up with what, or who, will work the best for you. Another option would be to start your search at the Mental Health American website. Lots of information, and many places to research groups, centers and more.
