In Memory Of
Neal Alfred Raetz
1941
2020
Neal Alfred Raetz
February 14, 1941 — April 11, 2020
Neal Alfred Raetz, age 79, of Orlando, Florida passed away at his residence on Saturday, April 11, 2020. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 14, 1941 to parents Alfred and Angeline (Behrendt) Raetz.
He started dating Carol in 1956 and they married in 1962. He studied toward a business degree at Carrol College and Stevens Point. They bought their first house in rural Fredonia, WI while Neal worked at Badger Lab and then Kohler Company. In 1975 God called them into full time missionary work with New Tribes Mission (now Ethnos360). He loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in any way he could. He was always quick to share about his love for the Lord with anyone he came across. They served as dorm parents in Indonesia and Neal became the field bookkeeper. Later he was the bookkeeper at the New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, Michigan. Eventually he was based at the mission headquarters in Orlando, FL and traveled around the US and to other countries helping to set up and audit the bookkeeping systems.
Neal loved to tease and make people laugh with his fun idioms and an Indonesian phrase here and there. He enjoyed music of all kinds. He regularly played piano, organ and mandolin and was able to pick up most any instrument and make it play a tune. He enjoyed singing and spending time with friends. He loved his family and his grandkids and great grands especially gave him joy. Some of his other favorite past times were fishing, hunting, and filling the yard with flowers. He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Jean Raetz, daughters, Sheri (Brett) Nordick of Glyndon, MN, Nancy (Tim) Neu of Orlando, FL; granddaughters, Erin (Matt) Castagna of Glyndon, MN, Sarah (Jeff) Burnham of Orlando, FL, Stephanie (Sam) Todd of Orlando, FL; grandsons, Jake (Makala) Nordick of Daytona Beach, FL, Robby (Abby) Nordick of Kettering, OH; sister, Kathleen Braun of Glenbeulah, WI. He is preceded in death by his granddaughter, Emily Nordick, and his sister, Jane Saueressig.
The memorial service will be scheduled at a later time due to the current social distancing restrictions. Burial will be in the Ethnos360 section of Oaklawn Cemetery in Sanford, FL.
In loving memory of Neal, contributions may be made toward the international adoption of great grandbaby #12: https://purecharity.com/adopting-baby-todd
To share a memory of Neal or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
He started dating Carol in 1956 and they married in 1962. He studied toward a business degree at Carrol College and Stevens Point. They bought their first house in rural Fredonia, WI while Neal worked at Badger Lab and then Kohler Company. In 1975 God called them into full time missionary work with New Tribes Mission (now Ethnos360). He loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him in any way he could. He was always quick to share about his love for the Lord with anyone he came across. They served as dorm parents in Indonesia and Neal became the field bookkeeper. Later he was the bookkeeper at the New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, Michigan. Eventually he was based at the mission headquarters in Orlando, FL and traveled around the US and to other countries helping to set up and audit the bookkeeping systems.
Neal loved to tease and make people laugh with his fun idioms and an Indonesian phrase here and there. He enjoyed music of all kinds. He regularly played piano, organ and mandolin and was able to pick up most any instrument and make it play a tune. He enjoyed singing and spending time with friends. He loved his family and his grandkids and great grands especially gave him joy. Some of his other favorite past times were fishing, hunting, and filling the yard with flowers. He will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Carol Jean Raetz, daughters, Sheri (Brett) Nordick of Glyndon, MN, Nancy (Tim) Neu of Orlando, FL; granddaughters, Erin (Matt) Castagna of Glyndon, MN, Sarah (Jeff) Burnham of Orlando, FL, Stephanie (Sam) Todd of Orlando, FL; grandsons, Jake (Makala) Nordick of Daytona Beach, FL, Robby (Abby) Nordick of Kettering, OH; sister, Kathleen Braun of Glenbeulah, WI. He is preceded in death by his granddaughter, Emily Nordick, and his sister, Jane Saueressig.
The memorial service will be scheduled at a later time due to the current social distancing restrictions. Burial will be in the Ethnos360 section of Oaklawn Cemetery in Sanford, FL.
In loving memory of Neal, contributions may be made toward the international adoption of great grandbaby #12: https://purecharity.com/adopting-baby-todd
To share a memory of Neal or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Neal Alfred Raetz, please visit our flower store.
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