James Floyd Wike

James Floyd Wike, age 79, passed away on November 2, 2026, in North Charleston, South Carolina. He is survived by his wife, Bert; his son from his first marriage, Chris; brother Walter Michael (Mykl) Wike and his husband Jason Sandborn; and a niece, Jennifer.

James was born April 24, 1947, in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Spencer Gayton Wike and Artie Kathryn (Sally) Deal Wike, both deceased, of Taylorsville. His sister, Hazel Wike Starcher of Statesville, predeceased him in 2023.

The family moved to Statesville, North Carolina, when he was a child, where he attended Wayside Elementary School and graduated from Cool Spring School, class of 1966.

James joined the Air Force in 1967. He enjoyed many years of travel and being stationed all around the world until his retirement as Master Sergeant after 23 years. He continued to work for many years after that in civilian jobs.

He was married for forty-three years to his loving wife, Bert. She traveled with James, and they explored many places together. One of her favorite memories is riding their paddle boat on Lake Itasca in Minnesota at the mouth of the Mighty Mississippi River.

His son, Chris, treasures the weekly visits to local bookstores when he was a child, as well as listening to all the stories of his youth and his travels around the world.

He was a great storyteller. As with most excellent raconteurs, his personal anecdotes were peppered with embellishments for entertainment purposes. His brother remembers him coming home and talking about movies he had seen, never leaving out any details. They joked that it took longer for him to retell a movie than it did to film it.

He was the best brother in the world to his younger brother and sister. His brother remembers so many kindnesses and things James did to entertain his younger self. One of his favorites was James playing songs on the radio and lip-syncing for him, dressed as a beatnik and playing his bongos along.

James loved cars. From the time he was a child, he built model cars to exacting detail, and collected Matchbox mini vehicles. The car love of his life was a 1976 Cosworth Vega, which he purchased new. It was his pride and joy. He treated it well and enjoyed driving it wherever he was stationed. His dream of driving it on the Autobahn in Germany came true when he was stationed there. While there, he also drove it on the Nürburgring race track. It also took him through Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Canada, and Austria. He did so much more than see just the USA in his Chevrolet. He was so excited to have an article he wrote about it and pictures published in a car magazine.

He was a friend to any animal or person he met. When he was little, he had a pet squirrel, then a special little dog named Rinty, after Rin Tin Tin, the dog of TV and movies. The family had other cats and dogs during their childhood. Later, he and his wife, Bert, took in many stray cats and gave them wonderful lives they would not have had otherwise.

There is no planned memorial at this time. The family will gather at a later date for a private scattering of his ashes.

If you wish, you may make a donation to your local animal shelter or any charity you choose in remembrance of James and his loving and generous spirit.