Darrel Edwin Otto Radke, 76, of Hutchinson, died Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at the Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brownton with the Rev. R. Allan Reed officiating. Eric Larson was the organist. Soloist Keith Tongen sang “Softly and Tenderly.” Congregational hymns were “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Amazing Grace” and “Jesus Lives, the Victory is Won.”
Pallbearers were Becky Duehn, Brian Duehn, Matthew Holman, Michelle Holman, Douglas Radke and James Johnson. Military honors were by the Brownton American Legion. Interment was in the church cemetery.
Darrel Edwin Otto Radke was born March 17, 1938, in Glencoe, McLeod County. He was the son of Walter and Edna (Rickert) Radke. He was baptized as an infant on April 3, 1938, and was confirmed in his faith as a youth on April 1, 1951, both at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brownton. He was educated in Brownton, and graduated with the Brownton High School class of 1955.
Mr. Radke entered active military duty in the U.S. Navy Reserves on April 23, 1955, at the Naval Air Station in Minneapolis as an aviation machinist mate.
On Nov. 28, 1959, he was united in marriage to Gwen Johnson at The Union Congregational Church in Winthrop. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Sheila and Sherri. Darrel and Gwen Radke resided on the family farm in Penn Township, McLeod County, for 53 years, and moved in June 2013 to Hutchinson. The couple shared almost 55 years of marriage.
Mr. Radke farmed for 30 years with his brother, Marlan. He enjoyed helping his son-in-law and grandson with field work, driving the combine. He retired in July 2003. In 1985, Mr. Radke started working for Telex Company in Glencoe, where he was employed for 181⁄2 years. He also graded roads in Penn Township after his retirement.
Mr. Radke was a lifetime member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brownton, where he served as a deacon and as the financial secretary. He also was a member of the Brownton American Legion Post 143, the Brownton Lions Club, McLeod County Sheriff’s Posse for 16 years, the Brownton Co-op Ag Center Board for 18 years, and the Brownton Shipping Association. Mr. Radke was a charter member of the Western Mounted Paraders Saddle Club from 1953 to 2014.
He loved riding horses. In 2007, Mr. Radke was honored by the Minnesota State Fair for 50 years of participation at the fair. He enjoyed baseball, softball, bowling, hunting and dancing. He also enjoyed camping, traveling and watching sports and western movies. He loved attending events for his children and grandchildren. He especially cherished the time he spent with his family, grandchildren and friends.
Mr. Radke lost his courageous 10-year battle with cancer on Friday, Nov. 21, 2014.
Blessed be his memory.
He is survived by his wife, Gwen Radke of Hutchinson; daughters and their husbands, Sheila and Gregg Holman of Andover and Sherri and David Duehn of Brownton; grandchildren, Becky Duehn and her fiancé, Reid Strand, Matthew Holman, Brian Duehn and his wife, Ashley, and Michelle Holman; great-grandchildren, Reagan Duehn and baby Duehn due in May; sisters-in-law, Arleen Radke of Brownton and Gail Lind and her husband, Dean, of Waynesville, N.C.; brother-in-law, Gregory Johnson and his wife, Carolyn, of Winthrop; Aunts, Alice Gruenwaldt, Alno Rickert, Gladys Rickert, Lucille Rickert, and Judy Christopherson; nephews, nieces, cousins, many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Edna Radke; brother, Marlan Radke; grandparents, Adolph and Clara Radke and Otto and Clara Rickert; parents-in-law, Wayne and Marvel Johnson; uncles, Arnold Gruenewaldt, Orlin Rickert, Lawrence Rickert and Vernon Rickert; aunts, Hilda and Robert Zieman, Bernice and Harry Giltner and Ruth Bussler and her husband, Adolph.
Arrangements were with the Dobratz-Hantge Chapels in Hutchinson. Online obituaries and guest book are available at www.hantge [1].
com.
Links:
[1] http://www.hantge
[2] http://www.glencoenews.com/category/section/obituaries