Wilcke H. Smith

Smith, Wilcke H.

     Wilcke H. Smith, loving wife of Robert A. Smith, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2015, at the age of 96.  Wilcke was born July 6, 1919, in Memphis, TN and due to her father’s career, relocated several times during her youth.  She met her husband, Bob, in Rochester, MN, and they were married in 1945 at Fort Snelling, in St. Paul, MN.  Following residence in Maryland and Texas, Wilcke and Bob moved to Albuquerque, NM in 1954, where they enjoyed the remainder of their lives.
     After initially studying journalism, Wilcke began her career as a graphic designer for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Subsequent jobs served to expand her artistic proficiency and choice of media. She designed everything from cocktail napkins to coffee tables to wall hangings, and created work in mosaics, silk-screen, linoleum and block printing. Extensive travelers and collectors, Wilcke and Bob acquired a deep knowledge of, and admiration for, regional native peoples and landscapes, the influence of which is seen in her work.  While living in Albuquerque, Wilcke added stitching to her repertoire, a media through which she became a renowned artist, lecturer, and teacher.  A significant influence in the art world, her work may be found in both public and private collections internationally and throughout the United States, including in the Albuquerque Museum.  Wilcke is survived by her her sister-in-law, Mrs. John C. Ivins, her nieces Lucinda Larson, Margot Osborn, and Laurie Leaf, and nephew Richard Ivins.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert A. Smith.
     The family wishes to thank Wilcke’s many friends, fellow artists, and students who brought joy and vibrancy to her life.  We are grateful to Joe Romero and Anita Thomas, as well as the staff at La Vida Llena Health Unit, for their skilled care and kindness.
     Memorials are suggested to Heifer Projects International or Habitat for Humanity.