June C. Rathke

 Baptized and confirmed in the Lord Jesus Christ, June Rathke of Grafton found eternal peace at Lawlis Family Hospice Center in Mequon on Monday, March 2, 2020, while surrounded by her loving family. She was 90 years old.

June and her identical twin sister Jean were born on Friday, June 7, 1929, in Milwaukee, the daughters of Walter and Frieda Heberer Oppermann.  

On Sept. 16, 1950, June was united in marriage with Clifford Rathke at Luther Memorial Chapel in Shorewood. The couple settled in Port Washington and raised their family.  

After Cliff retired, they moved to Phoenix, Ariz., and spent summers in Tomahawk. In 2005, the couple moved back to Wisconsin and settled in Grafton.

June was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Grafton. She loved to create beautiful things; she painted glass plates, designed homemade cards, crocheted, made other artwork and special items. Everything she made was made with lots of love. June always put others first with a pure joy of giving.

Survivors include her loving husband Clifford of Grafton; and their five children, Renee (Donald) Knuth of Port Washington, Myra (Dan) Matzke of De Pere, David (Maryann) Rathke of West Bend, Paula (Michael) Milas of Forest, Va., and Nola (Mark) Halfmann of Columbus, Wis.

She is further survived by 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brothers Walter (the late Joyce) Oppermann of Neenah and Harold (the late Kathy) Oppermann of Cedarburg; nieces; nephews; and other family and friends.  

She was preceded in death by grandson Adam Matzke, grandson-in-law Ken Krueger and twin sister Jean E. (the late Raymond) Rismeyer.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 6, at Eernisse Funeral Home, 1600 W. Grand Ave., Port Washington.  The Rev. Timothy Maschke will preside.  

She will be laid to rest at Union Cemetery, Port Washington, following the service.  

The family will receive visitors at the funeral home on Friday, March 6, from 11 a.m. until the service.

Memorials in June’s name are suggested to the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church School Music Fund.

Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.