Edward "Ed" Joseph Jilka

Edward (“Ed”) Joseph Jilka passed away on Friday July 7, 2023 at his home in Mancos, CO surrounded by his siblings and their spouses. He was born January 13, 1950 in Salina, KS. He is preceded in death by his parents Laurence and Mildred (Strathman) Jilka, and by his grandparents Edward and Mary (Schwarz) Jilka, and Joseph and Appolonia (Fangman) Strathman. He is survived by his brother Robert (Judy) Jilka of Little Rock AR; his sister Mary Louise Jilka, his brother David (Patti) Jilka, and his sister Monica (Steve) Gutierrez, all of Lawrence, KS.

Ed earned the Eagle Scout award in his high school years. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Salina KS in 1968, and from St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City KS in 1972. He also studied math and drafting at Ft. Lewis College in Durango CO, and received emergency medicine training in Golden CO. He was a longtime resident of southwestern Colorado, making his way there from Kansas by bicycle. Ed was an outdoor adventurer, a cyclist, and enjoyed traveling to many countries. He lived over 40 years in Silverton, CO where he learned the mining and milling business, becoming a mill foreman. Ed was a member of the National Guard, serving in Desert Storm as a medic in 1991, and retiring in 2010 as a Staff Sargent. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion Post 14 of Silverton CO. Ed was a volunteer for the Silverton Ambulance Association and helped raise funds for Silverton H.S. students. He also helped establish historical monuments in the area.

Inurnment at 11AM, July 12^th, 2023 at Hillside Cemetery, Silverton, CO. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Ed’s name to:  QuarterMaster, VFW4031, 1550 Main Avenue, Durango CO 81301.