Obituary of Henry Joseph Wilhelm

Henry “Hank” Joseph Wilhelm, 80, a resident of New Hope, MN for nearly 50 years, passed away on September 17, 2021 after a courageous and hard-fought bout with cancer. Hank proceeded to the afterlife from Our Lady of Peace Hospice in St. Paul, MN.

Born on September 21, 1940 in St. Martin, MN to Henry and Eleanor (Olmschenk) Wilhelm. Hank, the second born of five siblings (Mary Lou, John, Patrick, and Scheery), divided his childhood between St. Paul and Birch Lake. He grew up to appreciate wildlife and the land, as well as the benefits of hard work and determination. Following his graduation from Mounds View High School, Hank joined the United States Air Force, serving a tour in England as a Logistics Specialist. He returned to St. Paul and began a long career in Lithography, mastering the difficult process of color-matching from original content and recreating onto prints, magazines and books. He continued this profession until retirement through multiple technological advancements of printing processes and computerization.

Hank fell in love and married Lauretta “Laurie” Antoinette (Kampmann) Wilhelm on May 26, 1967. They lived in St. Paul for several years and eventually moved to New Hope, MN, raising two sons, Henry Scott and Robin Vance. They instilled outstanding values in their sons; resolve, honesty, integrity; and provided them with the opportunity to succeed, both sons graduating from college.

Hank was victorious in his battle against alcoholism! Recognizing the plight that this disease caused family and friends, he quit drinking, joined Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and remained sober for over 20 years until his passing. During his sobriety, Hank evolved into a mentor, teacher, friend and brother to the members of AA. Hank was a faithful Catholic and member of St. Joseph’s Parish in New Hope, MN. He was also a loyal, lifelong Union man.

Hank was a master “tinkerer” and innovator, continuously attempting to improve methods to get a job done. His sons would argue that he always would choose the most complicated process to complete a project but he was undeterred by rationalism.

Hank will always be remembered for his welcoming, outgoing and humorous nature. He would always brighten people’s lives with a smile and a joke. He can be reminisced as the life of the party, causing outbursts of laughter and joy. He will be remembered by many friends that he made and was very thankful for the wonderful experiences he was able to share through his life.

Hank will be joining his wife, Laurie, and all his siblings in the afterlife. He is survived by his sons Scott (Denise) and Rob (Shay), and his grandchildren, Brendan, Ellie and Jessica.

Hank Wilhelm’s celebration of life service will be held on September 24, 2021, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 8701 36th Avenue North, New Hope, MN 55427; Visitation at 10AM, Service at 11AM with luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Our Lady of Peace Home, St. Paul, MN.