Marie Howardene “Dene” Radtke

She was born November 16, 1923 in Marietta, Texas to Howard Finley and Opal Marie Yeatman Finley. In her childhood, she lived in Dallas, Fort Worth, Big Spring, Lockhart, and Austin, Texas, where she graduated from Austin High School in 1941.

She attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband, Donald (Don) Radtke. They married on June 18, 1944 in the midst of World War II. Just a few weeks after their wedding, Don went to England where he served in the Army Air Corps, 8th Air Force, as a navigator on a B-17, while Dene worked in Austin. She continued working after the War while Don finished his engineering degree at the University of Texas at Austin. They then lived in many places as Don worked in the oil business, including Oklahoma and Mississippi, and in Kermit, Pampa, Breckenridge and Fort Worth, Texas before settling in Midland in 1969.

She lovingly devoted her life to being a mother and homemaker and also taught children’s Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and served as a Brownie troop leader. She and Don loved dancing and traveling and shared almost 59 years together until his death in 2004.

She was preceded in death by her husband, an infant daughter, her parents, and her beloved step-father, Graham Fooshee. She is survived by her daughter, Janet Pritchett and her husband John, of Midland, her grandchildren, Russell Pritchett of Seattle, Washington, and Sara Pritchett Parish and her husband, Luke, and her great-grandchildren, Case Parish and Jake Parish, all of San Antonio.

The family wishes to extend their appreciation to the staff at Legacy Ranch, Senior Care and Comfort Keepers, who so compassionately cared for Dene, and very special love and gratitude to her caregiver and dear friend, Rosalinda Garza, her beloved “Rosie”.

Visitation will be held at Ellis Funeral Home on Friday, June 19, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Resthaven Memorial Park with Pastor Shannon Weisenfels of First Presbyterian Church Midland officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home.

Memorials may be directed to the Common Ground Fund of First Presbyterian Church Midland, 800 W Texas Ave, 79701 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 4400 N Big Spring St C32, Midland, TX 79705, or to a favorite charity.

Online condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com