Adeline Hardke

Adeline Hardke, 89, of St. Joseph passed away Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, November 4, 2011 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. A private burial will be held at North Shore Memory Gardens. Friends may visit from 10:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Sarett Nature Center. Those wishing to share a memory of Adeline may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Adeline was born February 1, 1922 in Saskatoon, Canada to Fredinand & Caroline (Harmel) Byers. Although she met Laurence Hardke in 1938 they did not date until 1943, and on January 6, 1946 they were married in Benton Harbor. Adeline worked for VM Corporation in Benton Harbor for many years. Adeline was a long-life member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church. In her spare time she enjoyed gardening, baking especially her lemon cake, and spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and sister Helen. Adeline is survived by her sons Kevin (Lynn) Hardke of St. Joseph and Jeffrey (Diane) Hardke of Livingston Montana; granddaughters Marie (Kelly) Richey of Kalamazoo, and Emily Hardke of St. Joseph; grandson Paul Hardke of Livingston, Montana; great grandson Alexander Richey of Kalamazoo; sister Helen Handy of Sodus; and many nieces and nephews. Adeline was preceded in death by her parents, husband Laurence of 39 years of marriage, and sisters Elsie Stowers and Eleanor Caprez.