Lee and Bev Radke say their Christian faith inspires them to give.
They learned about Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch from good friends and neighbors, Arlene and Gilbert Grienke, and are thrilled to support a Christian ministry.
"[Ranch] kids need someone who loves them. And they also get the knowledge of Christ, which they probably aren't getting in their home," Bev said. "That is so important."
Bev's earliest recollection of giving was at Sunday School. "Mom and Dad would give us change to take to Sunday School. There were five of us kids and each of us got a coin to put in the plate. For church, Mom would fill out an envelope every Sunday and Dad would put the envelope into the offering plate."
When she got to high school, Bev joined Walther League, the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod youth group at the time. Through Walther League, she participated in fundraisers for Lutheran children's camps.
"My parents didn't give great big amounts to anything in particular," she said, "but they gave all five of us an education and we are very grateful. Every time one of us kids needed a check for college, Dad would have to take a load of hogs to market. They didn't have a lot of cash laying around."
When Bev graduated from high school, she went to Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA, where she earned a degree in elementary education. She student-taught in Cherokee, IA, where she stayed and taught kindergarten for 33 years.
A few years later, Bev was the organist for a wedding. On the night of the rehearsal, she went to the hairdresser and an elderly gentleman ran into her car.
"I couldn't drive it," she said. "Lee was in the wedding so when the rehearsal and supper were over..."
"I took her under my arm and helped her out," Lee continued.
Bev said that was the beginning of their romance. "I said I would never marry a farmer," Bev said. "But that all went out the window. We just had a lot of the same interests and I just fell for him."
Eight months later they got married and in August 2021, they celebrated 50 years of marriage.
While Bev continued to teach, Lee farmed land they purchased from his parents. In 1995, Lee was injured in a head-on collision when the driver of the other car, a 19-year-old girl, fell asleep. His injuries, along with a hereditary disease that causes weakness of the body's connective tissues, resulted in Lee having to quit farming.
"I'm still able to walk a ways," Lee said. "So, I'm thankful for that. And I have a good mate who helps me."
Since Lee and Bev do not have children, Bev's students became her kids.
"They filled that gap in my life," she said. "I had 1,425 kindergartners, and some of them, I also had their kids. I went through two generations of students."
Over the years, Lee and Bev have had a lot of fun together. They both love to fish and play cards; and Bev loves music, playing piano and organ. They live by Holstein, IA, and spend winters in Arizona. They also have a large garden in Iowa that Bev says they plant, care for, and harvest together.
Lee disagrees. "She is giving me too much credit. I go out there with a golf card. We have a little push precision planter that needs the right plates to pick up the seeds and spit them out, just like planting years ago on the farm. I make sure it's done right. And then I boss her around."
"And since we don't have children," Bev said, "we want to give our money away."
In addition to supporting Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, the Radke's donate to several organizations and their church, including to a missionary in Taiwan who was one of Bev's kindergarten students.
"We want to be remembered for spreading the Word of God all over the world," Lee said.
They will also be remembered for their fierce love—a sentiment they have etched on their tombstone, "Together in Life. Together in Death. Together Forever."
This article was originally published in Ranch Voice: Winter 2021.
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