Bette Celeste Pomrenke

Bette Celeste Pomrenke – an 81 year-old native of Chicago, Illinois and resident of Mobile, Alabama passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. She is survived by her husband Bob (Robert), son, Richard, daughter-in law, Jennifer, son, Edward , daughter Becky (Rebecca) Pomrenke, and grandson Christopher.

She graduated in 1962 from Luther High School North in Chicago, where she met her future husband, Bob. Bette began working for Illinois Bell Telephone Company following graduation where she remained for the next four years until she and Bob were married in January of 1966. Bob was drafted that September, and they moved to Colorado Springs where Bob was stationed at Fort Carson. After Bob’s deployment to Vietnam, Bette returned to live with her brother and went back to work for the phone company. Following Bob’s return to the states, the couple returned to Chicago. Bette became a stay-at-home mother following the birth of their first child in 1969. She later re-entered the workforce serving stints at Subaru as a district parts manager and as a salesperson at Homemaker Furniture. She eventually became a receptionist at Frain, Camins, and Swartchild, Chicago’s largest privately owned commercial real estate firm. Answering an average of 900 calls a day, she became known as “the voice of Frain, Camins, & Swartchild.” Following Bob’s retirement, they moved to Mobile to be near their children. Bette was a proud lymphoma cancer survivor.

Memorial services will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, located at 3900 Airport Blvd. in Mobile on Saturday, February 28, 2026, beginning at 12 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Blood Cancer United, Holy Cross Lutheran Church capital improvement fund, or the Friends of Mobile Animal Shelter. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com.