Ray Allen Radatz

Ray Allen Radatz, age 75, of Nelson, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Gundersen-St. Elizabeth Nursing home.

Ray was born July 31, 1949 in Wabasha, Mn to Walter and Bernice (Busch) Radatz of Nelson, WI.

Ray graduated from Durand High School in 1968. He went into the army in July 1969 and spent 15 months in Viet Nam as a supply clerk. He received an honorable discharge February 11, 1971.

In October of 1971 he met his wife of 52 years, Sharon Beaullieu from Wabaha, Mn.. From this union they have 3 sons, Paul, Ron and Rick. They have lived in Nelson their entire married life.

Ray worked at Presto in Eau Claire before and after the service from 1968 through the end of 1974. Through the years, he worked construction, worked in the woods and then worked at the sawmill doing various positions till becoming disabled from a heart attack in 2008.

Ray grew up on a farm and loved farming. For over 20 years he raised steers on his son’s hobby farm.He looked forward every day to go out to the farm to spend time with his mischievous cows. He would come home with stories about how the cows enjoyed destroying his pickup, or how they would maybe grab his gloves and play keep away. He would act mad but at the same time, they were entertaining. He had to give up the farming adventure when his health hindered him from going out to the farm.

Ray loved his family and doing hunting and fishing with his sons and grandsons. He loved camping up at Bear Lake for the last 28 years. He would get on his golf cart and drive to the dock and go out fishing . Oh the stories the boys would tell about Ray’s fishing mishaps. They all had one and it would bring them to tears from laughing when they would get together and reminisce. And he loved the comradery of his friends at the campground.

He will be greatly missed by his wife Sharon, sons Paul & Melissa (Green), Ron & Jenny (Stromgren) and Rick & Nikki (Eversman). Grandchildren Jacobie, Tyler, Ashton, Mason, Jonathan Wodarz, Amber White and Kelsey Appelhanz, and Great-grandchildren Elliana, Braxton and Joshua. Brother Carl, and step brothers Tony (Sharon Otto) Schlosser, Ben (Carol Krig) Schlosser, Charlotte (Norman) Olson, Darlene Otto, Edith (Dan Anderson) Schlosser, Mary Kraft and step sister-in-law Cheryl (Varney) Schlosser.

He is preceded in death by his parents Walter & Bernice Radatz, Step father Lawrence Schlosser, Sister-in-law Tami Radatz and step brother George Schlosser.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nelson. Burial, with full military honors, will follow at the Nelson Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10:00 AM until the hour of the service. In lieu of flowers, please give memorial donations to Nelson VFW Post 6201.