Richard Radtke
Richard Allen Radtke of Kansas City, Missouri, died March 10, 2020. He was 72 years old. Richard was born in Holyoke on leap day, Feb. 29, 1948. He was the first of four children born to Reinhold W. and Vona (Woodmancy) Radtke.
He was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amherst. He attended grade school in Amherst and graduated from Holyoke High School in 1966. He attended Colorado State University for one year, majoring in computer science. He then attended Automation and Training Universal in Denver, obtaining his computer programming certificate in 1968.
Having received his draft notice, Richard enlisted in the United States Air Force. He received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. After tech school training in computer operations, he was assigned to Warner Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia. He volunteered for overseas duty and was assigned to Osan Air Base in Osan, Korea.
He married Yong “Tammy” Chon on Nov. 17, 1972. He reenlisted and was next assigned to SAC Headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. His first child, LeAnn Janette, was born Oct. 29, 1973. She died Nov. 18 from SIDS. He then requested reassignment to Osan Air Base in Korea. While stationed in Korea, his second child, Ronold William, was born Aug. 19, 1975. In August 1976, he received his honorable discharge after eight years of military service.
The next chapter would take Richard and his family to southern California. He put his computer skills to work as a senior computer operator, shift supervisor, operations manager and programmer analyst for various companies. In 1979 he went to real estate school and obtained his real estate license. He worked for Day Realty where he was a top listing and selling salesman for the North Hollywood office. He later became manager of the North Hollywood office. Richard had one more son, Jean-Pierre, who was born July 11, 1983. He would continue to make California his home until leaving for his hometown of Holyoke in 1992.
Richard moved one more time, making Kansas City his home in 1999. While in Kansas City, he worked for a handful of companies doing computer work. His last job was as a security guard before retiring in 2010. For the last three and a half years, Richard had been living the good life at Villa Ventura, a retirement community. He had many friends and enjoyed everything the facility had to offer, including the food, the staff and the various activities.
Richard had several passions and hobbies. He was an avid bowler and won many league awards, championships and tournaments. He also liked to collect things and had a large coin collection. He had many coins and bills from countries he visited while in the Air Force. Richard was a devout Lutheran and was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Richard was preceded in death by his grandparents, William and Elizabeth Radtke and John and Edith Woodmancy; parents, Reinhold and Vona Radtke; brother, Randy Radtke; and infant daughter, LeAnn Janette Radtke.
He is survived by his oldest son, Ronold and wife Laura of Overland Park, Kansas; youngest son, Jean-Pierre and wife Heather of Westlake Village, California; sisters, Carol Krumm and husband Gary and Amy Einspahr and husband Allen, all of Holyoke; and granddaughter, Sydney Leann Radtke, whom he absolutely adored.
A memorial service will be held in Holyoke at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please keep an eye out for a vet or a senior who could use some help. So many people thanked Richard for his military service and bought a meal or pumped gas for him. These small acts of kindness that he received from strangers left a huge impression, and he would have loved nothing more than a continuation of these random acts of kindness.