Shirley Ann Randtke

Shirley Ann Randtke, 89, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. She lived in Lawrence since 2009, most recently at the Windsor of Lawrence. A private funeral service will be held Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence, followed by burial at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Shirley was born March 6, 1926 in Fredonia, NY, the daughter of Homer Lloyd and Mary Helen (Yates) Cardot and the fourth of their nine children. On October 23, 1948, she married James J. Randtke, who preceded her in death on April 10, 1991. She was also preceded in death by Theresa Marie Birch, her daughter, on November 16, 2014; David Benjamin Bush, her grandson, on March 17, 2014; Brian Keith Birch, her son-in-law, on December 29, 1987; two brothers, Homer L. Cardot (Jane) and John A. Cardot; and three sisters, Mary Lou Adkins (Bill), Margaret H. Otto (Justus), and one who died in infancy.

Survivors include one son, Stephen James Randtke (Jessie), Lawrence; two daughters, Anne Marie Bush, Springfield, MO, and Margaret Marie Randtke, Salinas, CA; seven grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; one brother, Robert L. Cardot (Gail), Henrietta, NY; two sisters, Myrtle Hutchinson, Rushville, IN, and Nancy Nellis, Rochester, NY; and numerous nephews and nieces.

One of her earliest and happiest memories was being allowed to attend Sunday school at the age of four. She had a strong and enduring faith in Jesus Christ, and enjoyed participating in worship services, prayer meetings, fellowship groups, and conferences. In her later years, as her health permitted, she attended Heritage Baptist Church with her daughter Theresa. She was actively involved in a number of civic, religious, charitable, and political organizations. She was an avid reader of books on religion, politics, health, counseling, history and other topics (all non-fiction), and enjoyed playing card games whenever the opportunity arose.

She graduated in 1943 from Madison High School in Rochester, NY at the age of 17, finishing first in her class of 301 students. She then enrolled in the nursing program at St. Mary’s Hospital, became a registered nurse, and worked as either a hospital nurse or school nurse until 1965, when she gave birth to twin daughters. Having always wanted to attend college, she went back to school after her children were grown and earned a B.S. in Psychology from Evangel College (Springfield, MO) in 1990. At about the same time, she also renewed her certification as a registered nurse, hoping to have an opportunity to travel abroad as a medical missionary.

Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to Heritage Baptist Church or the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association and may be sent in care of the mortuary.