Ronald Elmer Radke, age 83, of Danbury, Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at his residence. He was born on Nov. 11, 1941, in Frederic, Wisconsin, to the late Elmer and Ruby Radke. He was the oldest of four children.
Ronald was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Linda Radke; twin daughters; parents, Elmer and Ruby Radke; father-in-law, Frances Schmidt; mother-in-law, Mary Ann Schmidt; four brothers-in-law, Gary Schmidt, Thomas Forte, Charles Hersant and Michael Liljenberg; and sister-in-law, Diane Schmidt.
Ronald is survived by his daughter, Dione Warren; three grandchildren, Emma Capra, Cole Haseman and Jake Haseman; two great-grandsons, Remy and Tate Capra; three sisters, Alice Hersant, Mary Liljenberg and JoAnne Forte; one brother-in-law, Tom Schmidt; and two sisters-in-law, Diann Schmidt and Connie Schmidt.
Ronald was married to Linda Radke on Jan. 22, 1966. They were blessed to have three daughters. Twin girls that were born unfortunately too soon and died at birth. Daughter Dione came four years later.
Ron and Linda were inseparable for 58 years. They created countless milestones together. Ron always mentioned that he and Lin made a great team.
They moved to Forest Lake, Minnesota in 1967, when he got a job at American Hoist and Derrick Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was a machinist for eighteen years, until the company moved to another state in 1985.
Ron and Linda had an entrepreneurial spirit to open and run businesses. From 1981-1990 they owned the Dairy Bar, a fast-food restaurant located in Siren, Wisconsin. About five years into running the Dairy Bar, Ron had an idea during the Fourth of July to sell fireworks, so they had a roadside stand in the parking lot of the Dairy Bar, next to Highway 35, and set their daughter Dione up at the age of 16 to sell.
Since they saw a much bigger return in Fireworks sales, they decided to get out of the restaurant business and open a fireworks store. They opened Shooting Star fireworks in Siren. One store was not enough for Ron. He had to talk Linda into opening another location, so, in 2002 they opened their second location in Tomah, Wisconsin.
Linda ran the Siren store with help from her mother MaryAnn and sister Diann, while Ron ran the Tomah location, working open-to-close Memorial Day to Labor Day. For two years he slept in the stockroom on cardboard boxes until they were able to save up enough money to purchase a house in Tomah, paid in full.
Following the loss of his beloved wife he succumbed to a broken heart. Their marriage was a testament of enduring love and devotion to one another that spanned nearly six decades. The depth of his grief after her passing was so profound, and ultimately it proved too much to bear.
Dad you will be remembered for your laugh, big smile, hard work and the legacy that you left your family.
Thank you with love, your daughter, Dione
The Funeral service will be held Wednesday March 19. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. -noon, with the service at noon, at Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home in Webster, Wisconsin.
