Photo courtesy of Monarch Society - Denver
May 15, 1919 - Oct 26, 2018 (Age 99)
First, I’m very sorry for your loss. I knew Mr. Wilhelm for a short time only. He amazed me and I decided to research his life and accomplishments for an article to be published about him in the Colorado Encyclopedia. For those who might be interested, here’s a link to that article: https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/david-wilhelm
He was truly an amazing man!
Robert Siefken
December 05, 2020 | Denver, CO | Acquaintance
I am sorry to hear off Davids passing My. Condolences to your family
Alec Kemp
November 29, 2018 | Denver
David was one of the kindest, wisest men I ever met. Meeting him in 2007 and getting to know and be around him from time to time for several years is one of the most memorable of times I have. He was a wonderful man and one of the truly great WW II heroes.
Jean, David Jr. and family, I am very sorry for your loss.
William Phillips
November 12, 2018 | Lakewood, CO | Friend
Im so sorry to hear of your fathers passing. I knew him because my father lives at Heritage and is also a WWII vet. My Dad was so impressed by your fathers wartime experiences and enjoyed reading your Dads book. Although I didnt know your dad well, he was always so nice and friendly when I saw him. I will miss seeing him. On behalf of my father, Cliff Cressy, and our family, we express our condolences and our gratitude for his service and a life well lived!
Collette Cressy
November 10, 2018 | Denver, CO | Friend
My sincere sympathy is with all of you in your loss. It was such a pleasure for me to have known David for many years. He was a gentleman and a kind person and I personally will miss our talks. May God Bless you and keep you in his care.
Jane Smock
November 04, 2018 | Arvada, CO | Friend
Remembered By
Mary Hoagland
November 04, 2018 | Denver, CO | Friend
Please accept my sincere condolences dear family and friends. May prayers strengthen you and memories comfort you. And may you find hope and comfort in God our Father, who loves us, comfort your hearts and "make you firm". (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17).
November 01, 2018
To David Wilhelm, Jr.: you have my sympathy. Your father was a great man and I appreciated working for him.
Virgil Holtgrewe
October 31, 2018 | Estes Park, CO | Friend
David C. Wilhelm was born in Chicago, IL. Primarily, he grew up in the Chicago area but as a pre-teen attended the Arizona Desert School, which began his love of the southwest. He went on to attend Phillips Academy Andover and Yale University from which he graduated in 1942, majoring in history and participating in the ROTC. He loved athletics and was skilled at tennis, golf and polo. He became so entranced with polo that he took his beloved horse, Jolly W, to college at Yale. He served in the United States Army Air Force in World War II where he became an “ace” fighter pilot. He flew the Spitfire and P-51 airplanes during the war, service for which he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor in May of 2015.
After the war David migrated west and worked initially as a rancher, leading to his primary business in the commercial cattle feeding business with feedlots at various locations on the eastern plains of Colorado. He met his first wife Anne Jackson, a Colorado Springs native, and they had 4 children Jean, David Jr., Andy, and Peter. Anne died in 1988. Subsequently, David married Anne’s sister Jean Jackson Emery. She and her deceased first husband, John Emery, had 4 children Jake, Patrick, Charles and Anne (deceased).
David is survived by his wife, Jean; his children Jeannie Russell, David Wilhelm Jr (Marsha), Andrew Wilhelm (Sylvia), Peter Wilhelm, Jake Emery (Lisa), Patrick Emery (Cathy), Charles Emery (Edie), his thirteen grandchildren and his ten great grandchildren. He will always be an inspiration to his friends, family and all who knew him. In lieu of flowers memorials maybe made to the Denver Zoo 2300 Steele Street, Denver, CO 80205-4899 or the Denver Hospice, 501 S Cherry St, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80246 in David's honor.
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