William Michael (Mike) Wilder passed away Saturday, June 4, 2022, at his home in Perryville. He was born May 29, 1947 in Danville to the late W.F. (Bill) and Juanita Burton Wilder. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Joni Michelle Wilder. Mike attended Danville Schools and graduated from Danville High School in 1965. From there, attended the University of Kentucky for almost 2 years before making a career change where he enrolled in the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science and graduated. In 1970, he moved to Perryville to work at Coyle Funeral Home and later purchased and renamed it Wilder Funeral Home. He and his wife, JoNell, operated Wilder Funeral Home and Monument Company for 44 years as well as Wilder’s Flower Basket and Wilder Insurance Agency. Mike served as Boyle County Deputy Coroner for 40 years where he served on the Kentucky Mass Fatality team. During that time, he helped with the Carrollton Bus Crash, Air Canada Crash in Cincinnati, Flight 5191 in Lexington, and the body recovery efforts in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. In 2008, he was appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear as Executive Director of the Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort and served until 2011. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Corners Association as Executive Secretary for 25 years and the Board of Directors of Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation for many years. In 2013, he was appointed by Judge Harold McKinney as the Director of Boyle County Emergency Management and served until December 31, 2021. Mike was a member of the Perryville Lions Club, Harvey Maguire Masonic Lodge # 209 and served as secretary for 14 years, member and former board member of the Kentucky Funeral Directors Association, Chairman of the Perryville Cemetery Association, and the original Perryville Main Street program. He and others led the effort to secure funding for the Chaplain River channelization project in the 1970’s. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, JoNell Glasscock Wilder; his son, Joe Michael (Kim) Wilder; 2 very special grandsons, Blake and Graham Wilder; his brother, Tony (Sandy) Wilder; his sister, Mary Ann (Bill) Brown; and numerous nieces and nephews, including one special nephew, Clint Wilder. Mike and JoNell are members of Perryville Christian Church where he served as an elder. Mike was an avid UK football and basketball fan and West Virginia football fan and enjoyed traveling with JoNell to multiple SEC Basketball tournaments, UK Final Fours, Bowl Games, and West Virginia Football games. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, June 9, 2022, at Perryville Christian Church, 205 E. 3rd Street Perryville, KY by Rev. Brad Stephenson with burial following in Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be after 4:00 PM Wednesday at “The Showroom,” 2405 Lebanon Road, Danville, KY. Pallbearers will be Clint Wilder, Derek Robbins, Casey McCoy, Taylor Bottom, John Key, Michael McHolan, Stephen Mayes, Nathan Glasscock, and Tony Floro. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Don Hamner, Wendell Combs, Greg Walker, Roy Martin, Jimmy Pollard, Dickie Mayes, Tom Brown, Gerald Dotson, Bobby Lee Hurt, Robbie Mayes, Harold McKinney, Howard Hunt, Rusty Cox, and the Board of Directors of KY Coroners Association. Memorial Contributions can be made to the Joni Wilder Scholarship Fund, 8071 Perryville Road, Danville, KY. W.L. Pruitt Funeral Home in Moreland in charge of arrangements.
There is a guestbook available at www.wlpruitt.com.