Darlene ‘Pinky’ Otradovec

Pinky was born on July 7, 1940 in Escanaba, daughter of Wilbert and Alda (Juneau) Nault. She was christened as Darlene, but three little Houle boys said she looked like a “Pinky,” and it stuck. She was raised in Wilson and graduated from Bark River High School. She was a lifelong resident of Wilson.

On Sept. 10, 1960, Pinky married Anthony “Tony” Otradovec at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Spalding.

She worked for Swift’s Restaurant, seasonal work at Wilson Elementary School as a cook and then did janitorial work at St. John Neumann Church, retiring in 2003.

Pinky enjoyed going to camp and being with friends.

She was a member of St. John Neumann Church and was active as a Eucharistic Minister and was involved in the St. Anne’s Society.

Pinky always was active in her children’s school projects from home room mom for her kids and also grandchildren. She helped design and sew the first warm up uniforms for NCA boys basketball. She loved to sew, whether ­wedding dress or Barbie clothes. She enjoyed making wreaths, decorating church, doing crafts, working in her flower gardens and decorating for the holidays.

She loved to be outside and snowmobile and yes, with a pink machine, going fast and jumps were her favorite.

Her biggest pride and joy was being a grandmother, by blood or just by heart. She loved to help babysit for many years their “like a granddaughter” Chelsea Blahnik, who affectionately would call her “Pinkster.” Grandma Pinky loved her grandkids unconditionally. Becoming a great grandmother was icing on the cake.

Survivors include her lifelong love and husband Tony of Wilson; three children, Jeff Otradovec of Wilson, Brian (Pam) Otradovec of Collinsville, Ill. and Barbie Otradovec of Wilson; ­grandchildren, Trisha (Jason) Veeser and Courtney Otradovec of White Bear Lake, Minn.; great ­grandchildren, Owen, Brynn and Layton Veeser; a special family, Chuck, Audrey, Maule and Chelsea Blahnik; sister, Marianne “Cookie” Skorbiak of Milwaukee; ­sisters in law, Theresa Nault and Linda Otradovec; brother in law, Terry (Diane) Otradovec of Bark River; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Ben Otradovec; brothers, Coonie and Pooch Nault; sister, LaVona Motto; and brother in law, Francis Otradovec.

Visitation will be on ­Tuesday, June 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. (Central Time) at St. John Neumann Church in Spalding. The St. Anne’s Society will recite the rosary at 3:30 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4 p.m. with Rev. Jacek ­Wtyklo ­officiating. Burial will be in the Spalding Twp. Cemetery with the meal to follow at the church hall.

A message of condolence may be directed to the Otradovec family by visiting crawfordfuneralhomes.net.