Annette Ruth Radek

Annette Ruth Radek (née LeBeau), 78, of Strongsville, Ohio, took her last breath surrounded by family on 13 September 2025 at Southwest General Hospital in Middleburg Heights, closing the book of her life. Born in Rochester, New York, Annette had a joyous childhood growing up surrounded by loving family and faithful friends, the early pages of her narrative filled with spending weekends and vacations at the lake or extended family's farm, delighting in learning as she was taught by nuns in Catholic school, and later, as she grew, working in her family's photo shop. She avoided becoming a nun, herself, when her close friend suggested they transfer from Nazareth College to pursue degrees in speech pathology at Northern Illinois University, where, not long after packing her Volkswagen Beetle and driving to NIU, she met, and then married, Rick, her husband of 57 years.
The Illinois chapters of her life involved her caring for her husband and children and helping others as she worked as a speech therapist, first in Genoa-Kingston, then Hinkley-Big Rock, and then for many years as part of the Community Unit School District #303 in St. Charles, Illinois, where she assisted students of all ages with speech impediments, various physiologies, and/or brain injuries to improve their speaking skills. These years also saw her working tirelessly with and for her church, St. John Neumann, taking a leading role in sponsoring refugees, mentoring them in English and American life skills, welcoming them into her family-and learning to appreciate the amazing cuisine of an excellently prepared Laotian egg roll; teaching CCD; and working at fundraising barn sales and pancake breakfasts.
Her husband's transfer to Cleveland, Ohio, opened the next chapter of her life, as she used the opportunity to go back to school, earning her Master's degrees in Special and Early Childhood Education from Kent State University, education she then used to teach in the Aurora, Ohio, school system as a preschool teacher for a multi-handicapped children and then as an education-consultant for Head Start in Elyria, Ohio, until the close of that chapter of her life.
Her story of happiness and service continued when she embraced her role as grandmother, being tutor and tour guide for her grandchildren, teaching them phonics and mathematics, and herbology and zoology, as they toured Cleveland's parks, gardens, and zoos. And when the grandchildren went to school, she resumed teaching English to people new to our country until an illness damaged her lungs and curtailed her physical abilities.
That plot twist of disability led to some extremely happy years of raising birds, poetry writing, pottery painting, and game show watching. Annette was willing to challenge anyone to Jeopardy on TV or to Scrabble IRL. She was happiest talking on the phone with her sisters and friends for hours; doing daily crossword puzzles; designing and constructing costumes for her daughter and son-in-law's famous Halloween parties; being chauffeured to parks in Cleveland's Emerald Necklace to bird watch by her son; sipping her husband's deliciously-handcrafted mixed drinks; hunting for ceramic chickens, polish pottery, or unique jewelry with her daughters at T. J. Maxx, Marc's, or Tuesday Morning; and arguing with her husband about the volume needed on the TV or which shows to delete from the DVR. Her children remember her as someone who was always good at giving hugs and emotional support-and leading by example. Her grandchildren remember her infinite generosity and love, after-school and weekend adventures garage-saling, baking and decorating cookies and cupcakes for holidays or family parties, and cooking in the kitchen for family barbecues while their grandpa grilled outside.
Annette's story closes as she follows in the heavenly footsteps of her parents, Elmer and Katherine Hotra LeBeau, and her sister Kathryn A. Miller. She is survived by her husband, Richard K. Radek; her ward and children, Kham (Nicki) Traymany, Kim (Jim) Radek-Hall, Stacey (Lee) Orzech, and Keith Charles Radek; her grandchildren, Vicki, Matthew, Brit, and Alex; her great-grandson, Roland; her sister, Patricia; her brother, Jim; and two nieces and seven nephews.
A celebration of Annette's life will be held from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Thursday, 25 September 2025 at Carlson Funeral Home, 1642 Pearl Road, Brunswick, Ohio, 44212. A memorial service will begin at the funeral home at 6:00 pm, with Fr. Eric Orzech officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating to the Northeast Ohio SPCA at 9555 Brook Park Road, Parma, OH, 44129 via check, or through PayPal at their website, or by purchasing supplies from their Amazon Wishlist (also on their website)-or to Lorain County Community Action Agency for their Head Start program at 936 Broadway Avenue, Lorain, Ohio, 44052-0245.