Rondo Baetke

Rondo Ray Baetke, 84, a resident of Eldridge, Iowa went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, February 5, 2022 at Our Savior Lutheran Church of Bettendorf where he was a member.  Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, February 4, 2022 at Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge and one hour prior to services Saturday at the church.  Private family graveside services will be at Davenport Memorial Park.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church or Grace Lutheran Church of DeWitt, Iowa.

He was born in Davenport, Iowa on January 10, 1938 to Raymond and Gladys (Zabel) Baetke and was a 1956 graduate of DeWitt High School.

Although passionate with working the family farm, he went on to join the U.S. National Guard in which he served from 1961 to 1967.

In 1963, he started working for Alcoa Aluminum Works and worked countless hours until retirement in 2000.  While working at Alcoa, he farmed, drove a school bus for North Scott, was a seed corn representative and taught his boys how to work.

On October 2, 1965, he married Diana Kruckenberg at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Davenport.  They went on to have three sons, Rodney, Ryan and Rex.

Along with playing cards, Ron was an avid bowler and golfer. (golfing not so much), but I’d put money on him when it came to bowling any day of the week (says Ryan).

He is survived by his wife, Diana; his sons, Rod (Natalie) Baetke of Plano, Texas, Ryan Baetke of Eldridge and Rex (Debbie) Baetke of Eldridge; his grandchildren, Allyson Baetke in Utah, Conner Baetke of Eldridge, Nathan Baetke of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Jocelyn Baetke of Eldridge, Nate Thomas of Plano, Zach Twigg of Eldridge and Carson Twigg of Eldridge; his great-grandson, Sawyer Thomas; his sisters, Karen (Vern) Crosby of Davenport and Cindy Baetke of Hermitage, Tennessee; and his brother, Marlo Baetke of Bettendorf.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray & Gladys; and by his parents-in-law, Victor & Esther Kruckenberg.