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Obituary for Gene Hartke
Gene Joseph Hartke, age 85 of Oakland, IL, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 3, 2015 at Hilltop Convalescent Center in Charleston.
Gene was born February 18, 1930 in Dieterich, IL to Roman and Ceilia (Pals) Hartke. He married Alice Joan Coon on January 22, 1964; she survives.
He is also survived by two children: Kurt (Colleen) Hartke of Bloomington, IL and Kim (Bob) Southworth of Oakland, IL; a brother: Roy (Sylvia) Hartke of Effingham, IL; two sisters: Lila Gebben of Effingham, IL and Linda (Martin) Hutmacher of Teutopolis, IL; five grandchildren: Austin, Payton and Nathan Hartke, all of Bloomington, IL, Michael Southworth of Tuscola, IL, and Nikki Bancroft of Oakland, IL; a sister-in-law: Linda Hartke of FL; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers: Tom, Don, Dale and Floyd Hartke; a brother-in-law: Ray Gebben; and a grandson: Jared Southworth.
Gene graduated from Teutopolis High School in 1947. He was a veteran of the US Navy, where he served on the USS Bushnell from 1951-1954. Gene was also self-employed with many businesses, including owning and operating the Crystal Club in Teutopolis from 1955 to 1986, serving as district manager with Combined Insurance for thirty years, and owned and operated Sure Clean Tap Service from 1992-2015. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mattoon, IL, Effingham V.F.W. Post #1769, American Legion Post # 628 in Dieterich, and the Knights of Columbus in Teutopolis. He enjoyed horseback riding, golfing, playing pool, St. Louis Cardinals baseball and Illini basketball.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at noon at Krabel Funeral Home in Oakland, IL. Visitation will be held for two hours prior to the service, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery. For those who wish, memorials may be made to the Dieterich American Legion Post #628.
