Donald Wilk Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Donald Wilk of Delray Beach, FL, was 85 years old when he passed away on July 19, 2022. His daughters were by his side. Donald was born on April 18, 1937. He grew up in Brooklyn, NY. He loved playing stickball and handball with his neighborhood friends in the streets. He also loved getting kosher pickles from Gus the pickle man. He sold doughnuts to people in the neighborhood to make some extra cash. He eventually moved to Cortland, NY and graduated in 1955 from Cortland High School. He then attended Albany College of Pharmacy. While at a school social, he met Carole Goldman in Albany and fell in love. He married his sweetheart in 1959. That same year, he graduated with his pharmacy degree. Don and Carole moved to Phoenix, AZ where he practiced pharmacy for a few years. In 1962, their first daughter Robyn was born. Later that year, they moved back east to Syracuse, NY, where he managed Carl’s drugstore in Liverpool, NY. Always wanting to learn, Don decided to study for his PhD in pharmacology, attending the State University of New York (SUNY), at upstate Medical Center. He was affectionately known as “The Kidney Man” by his renal pharmacology students. During that time, his second daughter, Sheryl was born. In 1974 after receiving his PhD, Don accepted the offer to teach Pharmacology at the University of Missouri in Kansas City (UMKC). He lived in Prairie Village, a suburb of KC. While teaching, Donald saw a need in the medical community, and formed University Learning Systems, which provided continuing education credits through seminars and lectures to medical professionals. Eventually, those seminars were taught on cruises, the Caribbean, and in Las Vegas, so credits could be earned while on vacation. In 1985, Donald moved to South Florida and eventually settled in Delray Beach in Valencia Palms. He continued working alongside his wife with University Learning Systems. In 2009, Donald and Carole retired from the business. He became very active in his community at that time. He formed a wine club and helped start a computer club. But, his real passion was acting…who knew? He has always been a funny guy. So, he took his humor to the stage and did stand-up comedy and acted in several shows including Bye Bye Birdie, Anything Goes, and several “non-book” musicals. He also acted in Fiddler on the Roof and Jewtopia with the Chicken Coop Theater at the Sandler Jewish Community Center. He was in a club called Radio Daze, a club that put on old-time radio shows, and is well-known for his role as “Frito Bandito.” His acting talent and Carole’s singing talent made them quite the pair. He also spent many years helping edit “The Breezes,” the community publication at Valencia Palms. Don also enjoyed making breakfast for Carole every morning and spending time with his dog Cleo and granddogs Moxie and Yofi. And of course, the thing he enjoyed most was spending time with his family. Donald is survived by Robyn Wilk of Boynton Beach and Sheryl Wilk of Lake Worth. He had one grandson, Jonah, whom he showered with Lego’s and love. Dad, you are in our hearts forever. We love you and miss you and can’t imagine life without you.

Donald Wilk

April 18, 1937 - July 19, 2022