Julie Katherine Radtke

Julia Katherine Richardson Radtke Beloved mother, friend, quilter and adventurer

MISSOULA ~ Julia Katherine Radtke, 78, of Missoula passed away on May 7th, 2025, leaving behind a life filled with love, literature and creativity.

Julie was born in Milford, Connecticut on June 2nd, 1946 to Robert Woodruff Richardson and Doris Elizabeth Iten. Julie and her sister Susie were raised in Dousman, Wisconsin at Dorwood. Julie’s love for literature and writing began early. As a young girl, she penned lively reports on the SGG Club (Six Giggling Girls), proudly featured multiple times on the front page of the Dousman Index in the 1950s. Julie attended Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin and then University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, where she earned a degree in Library Science. She would later study journalism, earn a teaching certificate in English and History and obtain a Masters of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the University of Montana.

She started her professional career as a librarian at DePaul University in Chicago before moving west to Missoula, Montana, with her husband and young son, Jake. She would then work at the UM Law Library, Loyola Sacred Heart High School and Whitefish High School. One of the highlights of her career was spearheading a grant to integrate technology and the internet to high schools in Montana before most high schools were aware of the internet. After retirement she was an adjunct professor teaching courses in library science.

Julie created an environment of possibilities for her two sons to grow up in. She threw herself into her community—serving actively in the Hellgate High School PTA and proudly working as a band parent, helping fundraise for the band’s unforgettable trip to the Rose Bowl. She later took her younger son and his friends on a road trip to the World Cup in California—a wild ride full of laughter and questionable driving.

Julie had a quick wit and a quirky sense of humor. She was a quilter, deeply involved in local quilt guilds, a local book club and an avid lover of arts, crafts, and collecting. She left no quilt shop or antique store unvisited. A dedicated historian, she enjoyed tracing her ancestry back to Switzerland and Vaudeville performers. She was also a published author, a skydiver, and an adventurer who explored Montana and the world beyond.

Julie was a nature lover and gardener, creating lush, beautiful flower gardens that were the pride of her home. She was a skier, a huckleberry picker, a runner who kept pace with her boys in races, a business owner, a devoted librarian, and an enthusiastic volunteer. Over the years Julie volunteered as an ELL tutor, a writing coach, at various libraries, and at Glacier National Park.

Julie was also a lifelong dog lover. She opened her heart and home to many rescue dogs over the years. She read constantly and voraciously, consuming literature with passion. You could frequently find her in the afternoon with her dog and a good book in her hand.

She is survived by her two sons and their wives, Jake & Tomiko Radtke and Joe & Robyn Radtke, and her beloved grandson, Jack Radtke and many friends whose lives were touched by her humor. Her legacy will live on in every garden she inspired, every quilt stitched with care, every book devoured, every act of boldness– and every moonflower that blooms under the bright sky.

To all of her friends- there are no words to express our gratitude for all of the support and friendship you offered her, especially in her final years. May she find peace and health in the next step of her journey.

There will be a Celebration of Life Garden Party on June 1st from 2-5 p.m. at Joe and Robyn’s- 401 33rd Ave.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in honor of Julie to Friends of the Library (Missoula Public Library), Soft Landings, or Montana Public Radio at www.mtpr.org.

Arrangements are under the care of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory in Missoula.