ESCANABA - George V. Bathke, 91, of Escanaba passed away on May 14, followed in death by his wife Eileen (DeLaire) Bathke, 89, on May 21, at the home of their daughter, Barbara Munro in Clarkston, Mich. George was born in Gillette, Wis. His family later moved to Escanaba, where he met and married Eileen DeLaire, his wife of 71 years. He was a veteran of World War II. He owned and operated the Escanaba Dairy until his retirement in 1976. Eileen was a homemaker.
They are survived by three daughters, Karen (Stig) Rossby, Suzanne (Nathaniel) Euseary-Whatley, Barbara (Kevin) Munro; seven grandchildren, Lisa (Tommy) Dice, Eric Bordo, Jessica and Tristen Munro, Ethan and Rachel Euseary, Nate Whatley and six great-grandchildren; one sister, Joanne (DeLaire) Flagstadt, and nine nieces and nephews.
They were preceded in death by their parents, Henry and Irene Bathke, Arthur and Matilda DeLaire; brothers, A. James DeLaire and Robert DeLaire; sister, Carol (Bathke) Rasmussen; and sisters-in-law, Emmy (Falkeis) DeLaire, Phylis (Nordman) DeLaire, and Helen Joy "Honey" DeLaire.
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George V. Bathke and Eileen (DeLaire) Bathke
Visitation will be at Crawford Funeral Home on Friday, May 25, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. with the Mass of Christian Burial to follow at St Anne's Catholic Church at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Gardens of Rest Cemetery followed by a luncheon at Crawford Funeral Home. Memorials may be made in George and Eileen's name to Perspective's Adult Day Care or the Shriner's Children's Hospital. The Crawford Funeral Homes are assisting the Bathke family.