The Rev. Joseph “Jeff” Franklin Wilhelm – a former rector of St. Andrew’s, Ojai, and previously St. Stephen’s, Beaumont — died Feb. 25 in a fatal automobile accident. He was 79 and a resident of South Haven, Michigan.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Barbara, who is recovering from injuries sustained in the accident; daughters Katie (Andre Van Schalkwyk) Wilhelm and Nell (Peter) Walker; and his cherished grandchildren Lila Walker, Maggie Walker, Max Walker, Sam Wilhelm-Van Schalkwyk, and Tillie Wilhelm-Van Schalkwyk. He is also survived by his sister, Pamela Stewart; niece Molly (James) Murray; and nephew Nick (Sarah) Stewart.
A memorial service is set for March 7 at 3 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of The Epiphany, 410 Erie St. South Haven, Michigan 49090. The Rev. John Wakefield will officiate.
Before being ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Los Angeles in 20__, Wilhelm was a television and screen writer with credits including MASH*, The Bob Newhart Show, Hunter, and Eight Is Enough. Previously he was vice president at Grey Advertising in Los Angeles.
Responding to a call to ordained ministry, Wilhelm attended Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, where he earned his Master of Divinity degree.
Upon ordination in 2005, Wilhelm served as deacon-in-charge of St. Stephen’s, Beaumont, where he then became rector after being ordained a priest. When St. Stephen’s moved from parish to mission status in 2007, he became vicar and continued to serve the congregation until 2010 when he was called as rector of St. Andrew’s, Ojai.
Born on Dec. 17, 1946, in Noblesville, Indiana, to Tony and Eleanor Wilhelm, he attended Noblesville High School and graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
Wilhelm “lived a life marked by creativity, faith, humor, and deep devotion to family,” notes an obituary online at https://www.starksfamilyfh.com/obituaries/joseph-wilhelm. He “will be remembered for his kindness, wicked sense of humor, generosity, and how he adored his loved ones.”
The family requests that memorial gifts to honor Wilhelm be made to the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, We Care South Haven, or a food bank of the donor’s choice.