Irene Radke Harris

Irene passed away peacefully just before dawn on Saturday, November 9th in the

company of friends and family at Kindred Transitional Care & Rehab – Canyonwood, on

Benton Drive in Redding, California, where she had become a resident in May of 2012.

She was born March 22, 1923 in Dodge City, Kansas, the daughter of Edmund and

Pauline Radke, the fourth of eight children and the third of six daughters. As a child, she

traveled with her family as her father worked for the WPA. As a teenager and young adult,

she lived in Denver, Colorado. Irene loved music and would play guitar and sing as her

father played the violin. She even performed on a radio program broadcast from Fort

Collins, Colorado. She also spoke of her mother often with fondness, remembering her as a

godly, hard-working woman.

Irene excelled at accounting and retired from an accounts payable / receivable position

With Northrop – Grumman at Long Beach, California in 1978. After a brief period in

Crescent City, California and Kansas City, Kansas, she moved to Redding and worked for

Bank of America where she retired in 2000. More recently, she is membered by those

who worked with and were taught by her in the Basic Reading Program at Shasta College

where she worked part-time after retirement.

A vivacious, friendly person, and devout Christian, she was an active member of Little

Country Church in Redding. Irene cherished her relationship with Jesus Christ and she is

remembered reading her Bible daily and singing the hymns she loved so much while

praising him openly. She had an unusual gift for growing plants that continued until her

praising Him openly. She had an unusual gift for growing plants that continued until her

passing with the plants on her window sill flourishing by just being near her. She was

devoted to her family, all of whom were blessed by her generosity and abundant affection.

She is survived by two sisters, Ester McMullin of Denver, Colorado, and Viola Kopaz of

Colorado Springs, Colorado, and her daughter, Linda Runyon of Redding, California. She

Leaves a legacy of six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Irene was a loving

sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be deeply missed by her family.

Interment will take place at Lawncrest Memorial Park, 1522 Cypress Drive, Redding on

Thursday, November 21st at 2:00pm during graveside service. The body will be available

For viewing the previous evening, Wednesday, November 20th from 6:00 to 9:00pm.