Obituary of Richard H Radtke

RICHARD H. RADTKE, 93, of Jefferson, passed away on March 17, 2018, at Alden Estates, surrounded by his family. He was born in the Town of Caledonia, in Racine County, on Aug. 27, 1924, to Irving and Elsie (Fisher) Radtke. He attended Westfield School in Caledonia until 1938, when his family moved to Jefferson to help run his grandmother's bakery. He attended Jefferson schools starting that fall, and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1942. He went on to graduate from the American Institute of Baking in Chicago, IL in 1954. Richard served in the United States Navy from 1943-1945. He was a Coxswain during World War II, and a ship member of the LST-601 that served in the Mediterranean and along the coast of Italy. He married Verla (Jones) Jensen, of Barron, on February 9, 1958, at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Jefferson. Richard was the third generation owner of Bon Ton Bakery, owning the business from 1971 to 1988, but had been a part of family business from 1945 to 2010, when he officially retired. He enjoyed coming in after that, to sit and greet the customers with a friendly smile and many stories to tell. He enjoyed many other activities in life, including gardening, traveling, and spending time at the family cabin in Cable, where they would hunt and fish. Richard was lucky enough to participate in the Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight in 2014; a trip that he still talked about many years later. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Jefferson and the Rock Dale Lutheran Church. He will be deeply missed by his family; wife of 60 years, Verla Radtke of Jefferson; three children, Carol (Mack McLennan) Houlihan of Richmond, TX, David (AnneMarie) Jensen of Minocqua, and John (Cynthia) Radtke of Jefferson; five grandchildren, Erin Houlihan, Matthew Houlihan, Erika (Lonnie) Klecker, Adam Jensen, and Jessica (Joshua) Punzel; three great-grandchildren, Ava and Tristan Klecker, and Macy Houlihan; sister-in-law, Marlene Radtke of Jefferson; one uncle, Gottlieb Schafer of Racine; five nieces, Ruth (Dennis) Burke, Mary (Kurt) Galloway, Judy (David) McNeal, Nancy (Richard) Prosser, and Margaret (James) Block; and many great-nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Amy Turner; one brother, Irving Radtke, Jr.; two brothers-in-law, Russell Turner and Robert Kellerman; two sisters-in-law, Donna Jones and Gwen Kellerman; and a niece, Mary Turner. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday April 23, 2018 at the Rock Dale Lutheran Church with the Rev. Richard Dowling presiding. Burial will take place at a later date in the Wisconsin Veteran's Cemetery in Union Grove. There will be a Masonic Service at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at the funeral home. Visitation will take place Sunday afternoon April 22, from 2:00-4:30 at the Schneider-Michaelis funeral home in Jefferson, and then again on Monday at the church from 10:00a.m. until the time of services. Those wishing to express sympathy through donations may direct them to Rainbow Hospice or Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Honor Flight of Milwaukee. Visit www.schneidermichaelisfuneralhome.com for more details, photos, to leave a condolence or to light a candle in his memory.