Born April 6, 1927, in Chicago, IL to John & Mary Frances (O'Leary) Radtke.

Died August 6, 2016, in Bradenton, Fl.

On April 10, 1948, Bill and Phyllis (Wallace) were married, at St. Gilbert's Church in Grayslake, IL. They settled in the Antioch, IL area and raised 2 daughters, Carolyn Radtke and Marilyn (Terry) Trongeau. Bill and Phyllis are survived by their daughters, Grandsons, Blair Trongeau and Brandon Trongeau, Great Grandson Kyle Davis and Great-Great Grandson Kaden Davis and many nieces and nephews. All their parents and siblings are deceased.

As a child he lived in Lombard IL and Antioch, IL. Bill went to Antioch High School. He tried sports in high school but preferred hunting and fishing. Bill never graduated high school due to enlisting in the Merchant Marines and later the US Army, where he was a tank driver. While two of his brothers served overseas, World War II was ending and he never served in the war.

He worked at Regal China and Pickard China in Antioch, where he learned to paint flowers, scenes and wildlife on china from well-known artist Edward Challinor. After many years as an auto mechanic, Bill joined Antioch High School Maintenance and Transportation Dept. until he retired as Assistant Dept. Head in 1990 to move to the place he always wanted to live, someplace warm! They settled in Bradenton. Florida. Bill was known as the guy who could fix anything. If he didn't have a part, he just made the part. He was an artist who enjoyed oil and acrylic painting, leather and wood carving, pastel drawings. He built a teddy bear rocking chair for his Great Grandson and with Terry they built a youth bed for the grandsons. He made custom grandfather clocks and wood jewelry boxes. He built several homes at night and on weekends mostly on his own with Phyllis, the girls and an occasional contractor to help.

He enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, teaching them how to use tools, to paint, paint, carve, build, and repair things.