George A. Radtke was born on February 22, 1920, to Albert and Louise (Hiepler) Radtke in Madison, MN. His father was killed in a runaway accident during threshing time when George was 6 years old and he moved with his mother to Ellendale, ND, in 1926. He completed his elementary and high school education there, graduating in 1939.
George moved to Fargo and managed an oil station while attending NDAC (now NDSU) until 1941, when he was among the first drafted into the Army on December 29, 1941. He was commissioned to 2nd Lt. in 1942 and also to 1st LT. in the Army Corps of Engineers. He went overseas in 1943 and took part in the Normandy Invasion, Battle of the Bulge in 1944, and was also present at the fall of Berlin. He returned to the U.S. after VE Day (Victory in Europe) on July 3, 1945. George arrived in Minneapolis, MN, on July 9 and a short time later married Eleonore Nieman in Fargo, ND, on July 29, 1945.
George was recalled into the Army in 1951 and was assigned as an Army Rebuild Supervisor to Frankfurt, Germany. After returning to the U.S. in 1952, he was assigned to the Army Reserve Corps as Captain and he commanded engineer troops in the Reserve. In 1964, he was promoted to Major until his retirement from the Reserves in 1970. He worked as a home builder and remodeler as the owner of Radtke Construction. Later in life, he was employed as a maintenance engineer for the Fargo Public Schools until his retirement in 1982.
George was a charter member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and of the Lutheran Laymen’s League. He also served as the first President of the congregation and Chairman of the original Building Committee. He was a choir member, Sunday school teacher, and a member of the 7 a.m. Men’s Bible Class, as well as a member of the “Fixer-uppers Club.”
George died May 25, 2012, at his home at Edgewood Vista under the care of Hospice.
He is survived by his wife, Ellie; daughter, June of Moorhead, MN; sons Danell of Fargo, ND, and David of Homer, AK; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, great grand-nephews and nieces and a host of good friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church or Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Funeral service was Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 10 a.m., at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fargo.
Visitation was Wednesday, May 30, 2012, from 4-6 p.m. at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home in Fargo, with a prayer service following at 6 p.m.
Burial was at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Fargo.
Please feel free to sign the online guestbook at www.hansonrunsvold.com.
