Norman "Brent" Wika

Brent Wika, age 83, died peacefully with his wife at his side on Saturday, December 17, 2022.
Norman Brent Wika, son of Norm and Marbeth (Stevens) Wika was born on March 24, 1939 in Clark, SD. Brent married Judy Postulka of Burke, SD on June 1961. They have two sons, Greg (Cheryl) of Anchorage, Alaska and Garrett (Cyndi) of Scottsdale, Arizona and they also have 6 grandchildren. Surviving him are his brothers, Darwin Wika of West Chester, Pennsylvania; Bruce Wika of Franktown, Colorado, Darryl Wika of Brookings, SD and sister Dawn Van Riper of Morrison, Colorado.
Brent attended Clark grade and high schools, then he attended SDSC where he had received a football scholarship. He played football and baseball, receiving six varsity letters, three in each sport. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in Physical Education. His involvement in Advanced ROTC entered him into the Army active duty in November 1961 at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. His first duty was instructing soldiers in tank warfare as an Armor officer. In 1962, he attended Army fixed wing flight school at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. Upon completion, he was asked to be a flight instructor at the school. AFter two years of instructing, he transitioned into the Grumman "Mohawk" and was sent to Hanau, Germany where he flew reconnaissance missions on the East German border. He returned to the United States in 1966, where he helped establish three "Mohawk" companies at Ft. Lewis, Washington, that were later deployed to Vietnam. In 1967, he returned to civilian life and began flying commercially for Braniff Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Aspen Airlines. The last 20 years of his flight career he flew for United Airlines in Chicago, Illinois. He also flew as a military reservist and commanded a large flight facility at Navy Glenview Air Station in Chicago and retiring as Lt. Colonel. After he retired from United he moved to Watertown, SD where he enjoyed golfing, hunting, and fishing.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to SDSU Football Fund or Issac Walton League, Watertown, SD.
A visitation will be held at the Furness Funeral Home in Clark, SD on Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A Celebration of Brent's Life will be held in the Spring of 2023.
Funeral arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home in Clark, SD where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com