William Rada

Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for William A. “Bill” Rada, 94, a resident of Bettendorf, formerly a longtime resident of Davenport, will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 29, 2020 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 417 N. Main Street, downtown Davenport.  Burial will take place in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport.  The family will greet family and friends Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, 614 N. Main Street, downtown Davenport with a prayer service offered at 4 p.m. that all are invited to attend. Memorials may be made to St. Anthony’s Care and Share Programs that directs funds to the McAnthony Window and Annex.

Mr. Rada passed away Sunday, February 23, 2020 at his home in Bettendorf.

William Albert Rada was born on June 11, 1925 in Davenport, a son of William and Caroline (Stillwell) Rada. He was helped raised by his step-mother, Hilda following his mother’s passing when he was a toddler.   He proudly served our country in the Army Air Corps during World War II earning his honorable discharge as a sergeant in 1946.

Following his discharge Bill went to work at the Davenport Besler Corporation where he met a beautiful young lady named Jeanette Barnes.  Bill and Jeannette were united in marriage on June 26, 1948 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.  They shared over 68 years of marriage and memories together before Jeannette’s passing on May 19, 2017.

Bill served many years as general manager of Cashway Lumber Company in Davenport before buying his own hardware store in Normal, Illinois and rebranding it as Rada’s Hardware.  He owned the store from 1972 until 1983.  Following their return to the Quad Cities in 1986, Bill served as an accountant for Abel-Keppy Animal Hospital until 1989.

Bill was a faithful member of St. Anthony’s Parish and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus 532 where he was a 3rd and 4th Degree member and past Grand Knight.  He had also served on many civic boards and committees in the Normal, Illinois area.

Bill was a proud father of 10 children.  He loved his family deeply and cherished the times when they would be together.  Bill also had a passion for fishing which he would go once a week with his daughter, Teresa and he also enjoyed reading.

Bill is survived by his children and their spouses: Tim (Barbara Milloit) Rada, Kenner, LA, Teresa Crossen, Bettendorf, Kathy (Gary) Tyler, Seattle, Wash., Susie (Kent) Olson, Port Washington, Wis., Patty Elliott, Elgin, Ill., Tom Rada, Tulsa, Okla., Joe (Sharon) Lakemoor, Ill., 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren with one on the way; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law: Jerry (Val) Barnes, Marge Barnes, all of Davenport; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, Bill was preceded in death by a son, Bill in 2017, infant sons, Anthony in 1953, Gerald in 1965, a son-in-law, Joe Crossen, his parents, a sister, Grace Schmidt, a brother, Merle Herrington, a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mary and Harold Beard, and brothers-in-law, Tom Barnes and Joe Barnes.  May they rest in peace.