Obituary for Elsie P. Radtke
Elsie P. Radtke, nee Prendergast, 70, October 21, 2019, dearly beloved wife of John A. Radtke; devoted mother of Kate (Jon) Hall, Thomas (Beth) Mannix and Elizabeth (Brian) Gajos; dear stepmother of Rebecca, Jeremy, Jessica, and the late Jeffrey Radtke; adoring grandmother of Maya, Quinn, Lucas, J.J. and Jimmy; loving sister of Kathleen (Dennis Ginosi) Prendergast, Joan (Michael) Restko, Joseph (Mitzi) Prendergast, Rev. Richard Prendergast, Thomas (Margaret) Prendergast, Anne (Roberto Obregon) Prendergast, Edward (Juliet) Prendergast, Melon (Michael) Prischman, and James (Rachel) Prendergast; dear aunt of many, countless friends and lives touched.
Elsie was born on March 21, 1949 in Chicago, IL to Richard and Virginia Prendergast. Before college, Elsie started working and eventually managed six locations of Mary Del Corsetieres, setting the stage for her eventual career and focus on helping others. She graduated from St. Frances Xavier with a Master of Arts in Education and worked as an art, English, and computer teacher before becoming the Associate Director of Family Ministries for the Archdiocese of Chicago, where she guided families through good times and bad.
She married John Mannix in 1975 and together, they had three wonderful children. She raised her children to mirror herself, instilling in them her strong sense of right and wrong, placing the needs of others ahead of their own, and being kind and loving to all. She married John Radtke in 2000 and welcomed three stepchildren into her life. Elsie and John spent 19 amazing years together, traveling the world and spending time being Grandma and Pa. Elsie's final 11 years on this earth were her most joyous, as she was blessed with five grandchildren; to her, nothing was more important than to spend time with her grandchildren, whether baking, painting, or gardening, playing at the park, having sleepovers, or just snuggling on the couch together. Her love for her grandchildren was matched only by their love for her.
Elsie was always looking for ways to help others and volunteered for many organizations including PADS/ Housing Forward. She was a skilled painter and baker and her banana bread and chocolate chip cookies will be missed. Through her work at the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was able to focus her passion for helping others by teaching couples how to create and maintain strong relationships. She was an active and dedicated member of the Mater Christi Church and served as a Lecter, participated on the Wake Committee and in the Women's Guild.
Memorial Visitation Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, from 2 to 9 p.m., at RUSSO'S HILLSIDE CHAPELS, 4500 Roosevelt Road, Hillside, IL 60162 (Between Mannheim and Wolf Roads). Family and friends will meet on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at Mater Christi Church, 2431 S. 10th Ave., North Riverside, IL, for Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Richard Prendergast, officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Misiercordia, 6300 N. Ridge Rd., Chicago, IL 60660 www.misericordia.org, or Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, www.nph.org. NPH International is an orphanage in Mexico, near and dear to Elsie's heart as it is where she and John were married.
For additional information call (708) 449-5300. Please visit Elsie's personal tribute website at www.russohillsidechapels.com and sign her guestbook.
Elsie was born on March 21, 1949 in Chicago, IL to Richard and Virginia Prendergast. Before college, Elsie started working and eventually managed six locations of Mary Del Corsetieres, setting the stage for her eventual career and focus on helping others. She graduated from St. Frances Xavier with a Master of Arts in Education and worked as an art, English, and computer teacher before becoming the Associate Director of Family Ministries for the Archdiocese of Chicago, where she guided families through good times and bad.
She married John Mannix in 1975 and together, they had three wonderful children. She raised her children to mirror herself, instilling in them her strong sense of right and wrong, placing the needs of others ahead of their own, and being kind and loving to all. She married John Radtke in 2000 and welcomed three stepchildren into her life. Elsie and John spent 19 amazing years together, traveling the world and spending time being Grandma and Pa. Elsie's final 11 years on this earth were her most joyous, as she was blessed with five grandchildren; to her, nothing was more important than to spend time with her grandchildren, whether baking, painting, or gardening, playing at the park, having sleepovers, or just snuggling on the couch together. Her love for her grandchildren was matched only by their love for her.
Elsie was always looking for ways to help others and volunteered for many organizations including PADS/ Housing Forward. She was a skilled painter and baker and her banana bread and chocolate chip cookies will be missed. Through her work at the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was able to focus her passion for helping others by teaching couples how to create and maintain strong relationships. She was an active and dedicated member of the Mater Christi Church and served as a Lecter, participated on the Wake Committee and in the Women's Guild.
Memorial Visitation Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, from 2 to 9 p.m., at RUSSO'S HILLSIDE CHAPELS, 4500 Roosevelt Road, Hillside, IL 60162 (Between Mannheim and Wolf Roads). Family and friends will meet on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at Mater Christi Church, 2431 S. 10th Ave., North Riverside, IL, for Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Richard Prendergast, officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Misiercordia, 6300 N. Ridge Rd., Chicago, IL 60660 www.misericordia.org, or Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, www.nph.org. NPH International is an orphanage in Mexico, near and dear to Elsie's heart as it is where she and John were married.
For additional information call (708) 449-5300. Please visit Elsie's personal tribute website at www.russohillsidechapels.com and sign her guestbook.