In Memoriam: Harold’s Friends Remember

A Memorial to Dr. Wilke from UCC DM

Harold H. Wilke (12/10/1914 02/26/2003)

Harold Wilke
Strong Man
agile
limber

intellectual
caring
insightful

Born
2 legged
no arms
man

drank coffee, sipped tea
with his toes
took notes
walked into meetings

gave hope
focus
called by God to ministry
claimed by the church
affirmed by people president and pope
spoke words of blessing for accessibility
integrity

whose wholeness
offers others
hope
hospitality
–Jeanne Tyler

Harold Wilke, leader, mentor, and friend, will be remembered a giant and pioneer in building bridges between religious communities and systems of services and advocacy for people with disabilities and their families. Bill Gaventa

In the days when it was “polite” to open the door for a woman, Harold Wilke was visiting the campus of Chicago Theological Seminary. Nearing a door as we chatted, he slipped out of his right shoe, grabbed the door handle with his foot then proceeded to hold the door. We were amazed to see his flexibility and panache. His ability to overcome his disability spoke volumes to those who saw him at work. – Bob and Ruth Beck

Harold Wilke, dean of all differently able not only in our church but in our country and internationally. – David and Betty Jamieson

He made the difference between Miss Kreyer and the Rev. Miss Kreyer. When I applied to Union Seminary, one reason they accepted a person with severe cerebral palsy was that Harold Wilke had been accepted there and made it (as one of the first Americans with a serious disability to serve as a parish minister). – Virginia Kreyer

Having known Harold since grade school, I treasure most his passion for justice for all. He was an advocate for God’s inclusive vision for the lgbt community, for the poor, for women, and for the disabled. – Lois M. Powell

I learned from Dr. Wilke that wholeness has little to do with the body. – Dallas Dee Brauninger

I give thanks for Harold’s life and for the ways in which he shaped and supported my ministry. – Mary Susan Gast

Many years ago, Harold Wilke came to Fargo. A UCC pastor, I was asked to meet Dr. Wilke and take him home so he could change clothes before his speaking engagement. Not wanting to have our young daughters embarrass him by staring or making inappropriate comments, we warned that a gentleman would be coming to see us who had been born with no arms. As we chatted at the kitchen table, the girls and a couple friends came into the room to meet our guest and eat a cookie then ran out to play some more. Harold was so natural and gracious as he sat there drinking coffee with his toes that our girls simply did not notice. Later that evening, as we were getting ready for bed, one daughter looked at us with a puzzled expression. “When is the man without arms coming?” – W. Douglas Allen

“How do I act disabled? I’ve never been disabled before,” the Father of Disability Ministry said as he sat with pride and humility in the wheelchair before entering a General Synod XX gathering. After my spinal cord injury, he gave me hope for a future despite losses, guiding my path to seminary, UCC, and U C C DM. His life taught us all how to do it. – Rita Fiero

“Harold was the inspiration for our Religion and Disability Program [of the National Organization on Disability. Harold was a founding Board Member]. His enthusiasm, self-acceptance, grit and twinkle allowed him to be a role model and a superb leader. He challenged all, with and without disabilities, to heal the divisions among God’s children. Religious communities responded to his proclamation that people with disabilities are welcome and needed in the House of God.” – Ginny Thornburgh, Director of N.O.D.

“With the death of the Rev. Harold H. Wilke, founder of the Healing Community, the disability rights movement has lost one of its giants…Harold was an early pioneer on witness by example of the effectiveness in life and in ministry, while living with a significant disability…Where will we find those who will enter into the challenges of disability rights work still needed in many faith communities including the United Methodist Church? Look around and see if you could encourage someone else to pick up on the challenges. We need to confront the architectural, attitudinal, and program barriers preventing persons with disabilities from full involvement. — John A. Carr, United Methodist Church, General Board of Global Ministries

“The word ‘sacrament’ means an outward sign of an invisible reality. For the disability movement, Harold is our sacrament. Harold makes visible that to be an effective pastor or church executive or world leader or visionary, you do not have to shake hands; that you can claim ‘Leaning on the Everlasting Arms’ as a favorite hymn when you do not have arms. This sacrament — this outward sign of a too often invisible reality was his life and ministry among us.” — words offered at Harold Wilke’s Memorial Service by David Denham

“Move [us] to discard those old beliefs and attitudes that limit and diminish those among us with disabilities.” – From Dr. Wilke’s blessing at the signing into law of the American Disabilities Act, 1990.

The U C C D M has designated a fund to honor the life and ministry of Harold H. Wilke, devoted minister, disability advocate and pioneer. His exemplary ministry within the UCC and the world forged a path for leaders with disabilities to emerge. Donations to the U.C.C.DM continue to support his legacy so that leaders with disabilities continue to rise in our midst.

A UCC minister, the first chair of the U C C D M (then the National Committee for Persons with Disabilities), a member of the U.S. Council for the Year of Disabled Persons and a founding board member of both the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) and its international arm, the World Committee on Disability — Dr. Wilke was noted for his unique role delivering the blessing at the White House signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. Following the signing, President George H.W. Bush passed the signing pen to Rev. Wilke, who accepted it with his foot — because he was born without arms.

Rev. Wilke focused on his own abilities, rather than his disability. He had a distinguished career in four areas of service: the Church, rehabilitation medicine, teaching and government. Ordained as a minister of the United Church of Christ, Dr. Wilke served on the faculty at Union Theological Seminary in New York, the UCC national staff, and directed The Healing Community, which promotes awareness about access to a life of faith. He published numerous books and articles, including “Creating the Caring Congregation, Angels on My Shoulders, among others” for congregations moving to integrate persons with disabilities into the life and service of faith communities.

Donations to the John Wilke Disablities Ministries Fund may be sent to:

Ms Michelle Hintz
Local Church Ministries
700 Prospect Ave.
Cleveland Ohio 44115-1100

From UCC DM Newsletter Archive