Vernal Lee Wike's Obituary
God peacefully released Vernal Lee Wike from his tired, cancerous body on Monday afternoon,
March 20, 2023.
Yet, Lee’s tireless passion for work and to “keep busy” is still evident today. He truly loved to work! He passed … and sometimes expected! … that same passion to and from others around him. He was born in the family’s wood frame home in East LaPorte, North Carolina. Daily life on a small mountain farm was tough, but rich. As a teenager, he learned to “lay brick” from his Uncle John Wike. Seeking adventure, he headed to Norfolk, Virginia to join the US Navy cruising the east coast on the USS Shadwell during the Korean War. He often ventured into Charlotte on military leave. While walking down the street one day, someone called out, “Hey, Sailor, do you want to go to the dance?” There, he met and eventually married Ruth Jones Wike and relocated to Charlotte. He continued the brick mason trade for over 50 years. His hands built many homes and buildings while his career … and family … grew in a growing city. He served as the masonry supervisor for Pyramid Masonry Company on many notable projects: Blumenthal Performing Arts Center; Bank of America tower; Presbyterian Novant Hospital addition; Mission Hospital addition in Asheville; Former Charlotte Hornets coliseum near Tyvola Road; Former Charlotte Knights stadium near Fort Mill.
After a long day of bricks and mortar, he loved to work in his vegetable garden: row after row of corn, green beans, cabbage, etc. However, he was famous for his tomatoes! And, he loved to share them with others. He and Ruth would spend hours canning and freezing the produce in order to feed the four kids that filled the table. There was nothing better than his homegrown tomatoes in her homemade spaghetti or vegetable soup. He loved to ride his lawnmower mowing his grass (almost daily!) and to clean up fallen limbs and leaves.
He also worked hard on having fun. He often escaped to Darlington to watch #3 Dale
Earnhardt, or to Morehead City to go deep sea fishing, or to Atlanta to watch Chipper Jones and
the Braves. In recent years, he rarely missed the all-day “Hand and Foot” card game or the
monthly “Jolly 60s” luncheon at Northside Baptist Church. Being a high school tuba player, he
loved music and the monthly concerts of the “Magnify” choir and orchestra. He rarely watched
television … unless it was a Duke basketball game. Occasionally, there was a mission trip to
Haiti to construct a church or school. But, near the top of the list, he enjoyed (1) sitting in his
backyard patio swing watching airplanes from CLT or (2) sitting on the front porch of his mountain homeplace counting cars on the main road at the bottom of the hill … while taking a long, needed nap! Of course, attending Sunday morning service was required … while sometimes taking a long, needed nap! And, don’t forget watching the grandkids!
Vernal was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Jones Wike, and his son, Garry Dale Wike, both
of Charlotte. He was also preceded by his parents, Carter and Della Wike of East Laporte and
his siblings, Bernice Siniard of Charlotte, Agnes Cook of Sylva, NC, and Herman Wike of
Augusta, GA.
Mr. Wike is survived by his children: Gwen Hopkins of Greenville, SC, Greg Wike of Charlotte,
NC, and Gina Leonard (David) of Greensboro, NC. He loved his grandkids: Ricky, Rhonda,
Kamron, Grayson, and Cole. And, he adored the great grandkids: Ellis, Carter, Win, Ford,
Sloan, and Reign.
Memorial activities will be held at James Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC on Thursday, March
23, 2023. Visitation will start at 10:00, and a memorial service will begin at 11:00.
The family sends special thanks to numerous neighbors and friends as well as his Hospice nurses (Elina, Tanya, Samantha, Lee, Christy, Tahkaga) and caregiver (Danielle).
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Wike Cemetery Trust Fund, 433 Wike Cemetery Road, Cullowhee, NC 28723, or Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department, 4267 Little Savannah Road, Cullowhee, NC 28723.
"Dad, your work is done! Enjoy your rest!"
Online condolences may be made at www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com.
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